Findings of Poll #15

Read the full reports:

ABOUT THE STUDY

This study was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights with an online sample of 3,238 adult Canadians and was conducted between January 23 to February 6,2023. Results from a probability sample of this size could be considered accurate to within ±1.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Results have been weighted based on age, gender and region to be representative of the Canadian population. 

A series of research briefs that provide an in-depth, specific investigation of our polling results can be found here. Results of earlier polls are compared when applicable.  

Findings from our polls are searchable on our free Data Portal.

 

Results from Poll 15 demonstrate a possible “new normal” for the mental health of Canadians

The data demonstrates that mental health indicators remain flat (or have gotten slightly worse) after a long period of improvement. Levels of high anxiety (10%) and depression (8%) have remained constant, and not coping well with stress (14%) have not changed since our last data collection in November 2022. Future polls will validate whether this is indicative of a new normal for Canadians, or the result of transitional changes, such as a seasonal impacts or the current economic state.

Major findings from past polls remain relevant including the quarter of Canadians that are feeling exhausted and burnt out (24% - but higher among the unemployed and students) and the disproportionate level of mental health challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians, including in self-rated anxiety and depression, and resilience indicators.

Additional major findings of concern from Poll 15 include:

  • A quarter of Canadians are feeling exhausted and burnt out (24% - but higher among the unemployed and students).

    The disproportionate level of mental health challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians, including in self-rated anxiety and depression, and resilience indicators.

  • While half of Canadians indicate that inflation is not having a negative mental health impact on them, those whose mental health has been affected by inflation are showing significant signs of worsening mental health.

    • These Canadians indicate higher self-rated anxiety (33%) and depression (32%), higher rates of recent diagnosis of a mood disorder since the pandemic (14%), higher suicide ideation (31%) and alcohol (23%) or cannabis dependency (22%), as report being less able to handle their stress well (30%).

  • We have also noted increases in similar negative mental health indicators in parents of children under the age of nine.

The poll results also showed some positive trends:

  • Hopefulness remains on the higher side (64%).

  • Those accessing mental health services in the past year has risen slightly.

  • Canadians are generally happy (81%), with two-fifths saying they are interested in life (42%) or somewhat happy (39%).

The above are just some of the key findings of MHRC’s fifteenth poll, part of a multi-year effort to track the mental health challenges of COVID-19 and beyond.