CAMH Monitor: Ontario adults reporting increases in mental health problems
CAMH survey on adult mental health and substance use also shows new trends in cannabis use, and distracted and impaired driving
TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2019 /CNW/ - Mental health problems among adults in Ontario may be on the rise, according to the latest CAMH Monitor survey – the longest ongoing study of adult mental health and substance use in the province.
Significant findings of the survey show that between 2016 and 2017:
- Self-rated reports of fair or poor mental health increased significantly from 7.1 per cent to 10.1 per cent.
- The proportion reporting frequent mental distress in the past month increased from 7.4 per cent to 11.7 per cent. This increase was particularly prominent among women.
- Thoughts about suicide almost doubled, from 2.3 per cent to 4.1 per cent, representing an estimated 426,900 adults.
These findings are consistent with what has been reported from the CAMH Emergency Department in recent years, where visits have increased by 70 per cent between 2012 and 2017.
"These findings are concerning," says Dr. Hayley Hamilton, Senior Scientist in CAMH's Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and co-principal investigator of the CAMH Monitor. "It is notable to see such a broad-based increase in reports of poor mental health. This points to the need to continue efforts to improve resilience among adults and reduce the burden of mental illness on individuals and families."
"The reasons for suicidal ideation can be complex and unique to each individual, so it is difficult to pinpoint specific causes for this increase," says Dr. Juveria Zaheer, Clinician Scientist, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and the lead author of a recently published clinical guidebook for suicide prevention in the military. "It is important to remember people thinking about suicide are experiencing significant distress and deserve support and treatment. The vast majority of people who experience suicidal thoughts do not die by suicide and there is hope for recovery."
Driving issues
The number of drivers reporting texting while driving at least once in the past year has decreased significantly from 36.8 per cent in 2015 to 27.6 per cent in 2017. Since the 2015 survey, several public policy measures were introduced in Ontario to reduce distracted driving, including much higher fines and demerit point losses, increased police enforcement on the roads and widespread public awareness campaigns on the dangers of distracted driving.
"These numbers suggest that targeted public policy measures may have an impact on reducing dangerous and potentially deadly behaviours on the road," says Dr. Robert Mann, Senior Scientist in CAMH's Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and co-principal investigator of the CAMH Monitor.
Reports of driving after cannabis use have increased significantly in the past five years, from 1.3 per cent in 2012 to 2.6 per cent in 2017. This was particularly pronounced among male drivers, who reported an increase from 1.9 per cent to 3.9 per cent.
"While these numbers remain relatively low, the 2017 percentage represents almost 250,000 people who report driving less than an hour after consuming cannabis. Now that cannabis use is legal for adults, it's important to continue to monitor this behaviour." says Dr. Mann.
Cannabis use
In the year leading up to legalization, cannabis use increased significantly from 15.7 per cent in 2016 to 19.4 per cent in 2017. This increase was prominent among women and people over 50. This is a continuation of a long-term trend towards increased cannabis use, which has more than doubled in the last 20 years. The highest increase during that time has been among 18 to 29 year olds, where it has gone up from 18.3 per cent in 1996 to the current rate of 39.1 per cent. Also during that time, the proportion of users who are 50 years and older has increased from two per cent to 29 per cent.
"Now that cannabis is legal, it is more important than ever to have sustained public awareness campaigns about the potential dangers from increased cannabis use, especially for people under 25 whose brains are still developing," says Dr. Mann. "These numbers indicate the need for more research and education regarding cannabis use and potential harms."
Screen time
Moderate to severe problematic use of electronic devices continues to be a concern, especially for people aged 18 to 29, who showed, by far, the highest level of problematic use at 21.5 per cent. Problematic use was defined as answering 'yes' to at least three of six questions in regards to electronic devices, including whether you have ever tried to cut back on your use, if a family member ever expressed concern, or if you ever missed school, work, or important social activities because of your screen habits.
"There is growing evidence that heavy use of electronic devices is linked with mental health concerns," said Dr. Hamilton. "Strategies like taking breaks from our phones at certain times maybe worth considering for people who are worried about whether their use is a problem or becoming a problem."
Millennial mental health
A consistent theme in the Monitor over the years, and one that is evident in this report, is the prominence of substance use and mental health problems among young people between 18 and 29. This age group is more likely than other age groups to report problematic use of alcohol, cannabis use, and e-cigarette use, and to have significantly higher reports of suicidal ideation, frequent mental distress days, and psychological distress.
"These multiple indicators of problematic and high-risk behaviours occur at a time when these young people are charting their lives, finding careers and starting families," says CAMH psychiatrist and VP Education Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam. "These data point to the high levels of stress during this stage in life and the importance of recognizing these risks and responding to them in a timely manner."
The results from the 2017 CAMH Monitor are based on telephone interviews with 2,812 adults 18 and older across the province.
The CAMH Monitor, first conducted in 1977, is the longest ongoing addiction and mental health survey of adults in Canada. The survey is designed to serve as the primary vehicle for monitoring substance use and mental health problems among Ontario adults. The CAMH Monitor provides epidemiological trends in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, problem use, and mental health among Ontarians. The survey is conducted on behalf of CAMH by the Institute for Social Research at York University. About 3,000 Ontario adults are interviewed by telephone each year, representing a weighted total of about 10 million Ontario residents aged 18 and older.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit www.camh.ca or follow @CAMHnews and @CAMHResearch on Twitter.
SOURCE Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Media contact: Sean O'Malley, Media Relations, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 416-595-6015, [email protected]
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