The Morneau Shepell Mental Health Report

The Mental Health Index^TM

As Canadians head into 2021, COVID-19 restrictions remain in place in most parts of the country. The ongoing impact of the pandemic continues to have a negative effect on the mental health of Canadians, with January marking ten consecutive months of diminished mental health when compared to before the pandemic.

Highlights of the January 2021 Canada Report

• The Mental Health Index™ score for January is -11.7 and is relatively unchanged from December (-11.8) and the same as April 2020, near the outset of the pandemic.
• The Mental Health Index™ score for managers (-13.2) is lower than for non-managers (-10.7).
• In January, the sub-score for isolation reached its lowest point since the inception,
  (-12.8 in January 2021 vs. -10.6 in April 2020), indicating extended restrictions and prolonged physical distancing measures are having a detrimental impact on Canadians’ mental health.
• Full-time post-secondary students report the lowest mental health score (-26.7) when compared to individuals across all industry sectors for the tenth consecutive month.
• Young Canadians are changing priorities to focus on mental health. One-third (33 per cent) of working Canadians collectively reported wanting to place more focus on their mental health, with individuals between the ages of 20 and 29 nearly twice as likely to report wanting to focus on their mental health when compared to those over the age of 60.

The full report includes insights on changes to mental stress, the impact on emotional state and variations of the Mental Health Index score by demographics, industries and regions. It also includes actions employers can take to address the impact of additional waves of COVID-19 and build resilience into their businesses.

For the Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Australia reports, and the Regional comparison report, click the button below.