Friday, January 1, 2016
In any given year, 1 in every 5 Canadians is affected by mental illness. This represents an economic burden of over 50 billion dollars each year. This report provides up-to-date and relevant information about mental health in Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph. Some key findings include:
Mental Health and Well-Being
- WDG residents report high levels of mental health and life satisfaction 91% said they experienced favourable mental health, 92% experienced life satisfaction.
- Among youth, younger students and males tend to experience better mental health Males and grade 7 students were more likely to experience positive mental health and have high self-esteem than females and grade 10 students.
- Social relationships are important to promoting mental health Family support and peer connections were strongly linked to positive mental health in youth.
Mental Health Concerns, Mental Illness and Self-Harm
- Stress is a concern for both adults and youth 23% of people reported high life stress, 26% reported high work stress. 44% of youth said that they had too many problems. Women were more likely to report stress.
- WDG and Ontario have similar rates of mood and anxiety disorders 9% of WDG and Ontario residents have a mood disorder. 7% of WDG residents and 8% of Ontarians have an anxiety disorder.
- Emergency room data suggests many youth are distressed ER visits for mental health concerns among 10-19 year olds doubled from 2009 to 2014.
- The Relationship between Physical and Mental Health.
- Mental health and physical health are strongly linked Residents who rated their physical health as good, very good or excellent were much more likely to experience favourable mental health.
- Healthy habits were associated with better mental health among youth Physical activity and eating habits were significantly associated with mental health outcomes.
- There is a strong link between substance use and mental health Smoking, heavy drinking and drug use were all strongly associated with poorer mental health outcomes.
Social Determinants of Mental Health
- Employment is strongly associated with mental health Ontarians who were employed were significantly more likely to report positive mental health than Ontario residents who were not employed.
- Income level can also have a considerable impact on mental health Lower-income residents of WDG were significantly less likely to experience favourable mental health than those with higher incomes.
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