Insights into 2SLGBTQIA+ Mental Health Throughout COVID-19: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches
This report provides an overview of the key findings from interviews conducted with members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities to provide context to quantitative data collected, and to gain greater insight into factors influencing negative mental health of 2SLGBTQIA+ identifying Canadians throughout the pandemic and the current recovery period.
Key findings:
While COVID-19 has impacted all Canadians’ self-rated levels of anxiety and depression, 2SLGBTQIA+ identifying Canadians reported considerably higher levels of both indicators before and during the pandemic compared to non-2SLGBTQIA+ respondents.
Levels of high depression among 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians is similar to those of anxiety before and during the pandemic, though these numbers are twice as high than non- 2SLGBTQIA+ respondents in a comparative analysis.
22% of those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ thought about suicide and 6% planned an attempt within the 12 months prior to completing our national polling survey, compared to the 8% of non-2SLGBTQIA+ respondents who experienced suicide ideation and 2% who planned an attempt in the same timeframe.
