Findings of Poll #10

Access the Abridged Report and Full Report of the findings of our tenth national poll

ABOUT THE STUDY

This study was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights with an online sample of 3,701 adult Canadians and was conducted between December 13th to 22nd, 2021. Results from a probability sample of this size could be considered accurate to within ±1.6 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 Polls 2 to 8 are searchable on our free Data Portal — and the findings of Poll 9 are in the process of being integrated.

Watch the recording of our Poll 10 webinar presenting the study results, recorded February 2, 2022, by clicking the image below.

 

Poll 10 examines the continued impact of COVID-19 on Canadians’ mental health, including new data on the effect of Omicron; and findings where children ages 5 to 11 were first eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Conducted December 13th-22nd 2021, Poll 10 finds 59% of Canadians responding state that improving mental health provisions should the key focus of mental health research.

Dr. David Dozois, PhD, CPsych, Director of the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program at Western University, and MHRC Board Member, who participated in the design of the survey, observes: “This study reiterates that social isolation during the pandemic has been the most important factor impacting Canadians’ mental health, even compared to the threat of the virus itself.”

Major findings include:

  • Anxiety and depression are still having a negative impact on the lives of Canadians. One-quarter continue to feel the negative effect of their mental health on their ability to function, one-fifth of whom are experiencing a loss of productivity and one-tenth a loss of days.

  • Canadians who have been impacted by mental health challenges, whether through their own diagnosis or that of a loved one, feel that improving mental health service provisions should be the most important focus for mental health research (59%). This is followed by building support around individuals impacted by mental health challenges (32%).

  • Beyond a research specific focus, those or loved ones of those who have received a mental health diagnosis before or since COVID-19 feel that ending the stigma around mental health challenges, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health should be Canada’s highest priorities at this time. Both of these responses received 12% of the “top priority” vote among a list of 13 potential areas including the effectiveness of virtual health services and the mental health of children.

  • One third of parents are reporting the availability, or imminent availability, of this vaccine for their children as having had a positive impact on their mental health, while nearly half (47%) say it hasn’t had any impact. There is not a significant difference in the mental health indicators of parents with have/will vaccinate their children versus those who won’t.

  • Overall high levels of anxiety (24%) have not changed since Poll 9 and have done so only marginally since Poll 7 (June 2021). High self-reported levels of depression have been even more stagnant, moving only marginally outside 15% since Poll 4 (December 2020).