Canadian health-care professionals weigh in on pandemic mental health in new survey
A new survey is shedding some light on the stresses, scars and opportunities for change that have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey, conducted by Yorkville University, asked front-line workers for their insights on the state of mental health care in Canada right now.
Dr. Sarah Stewart-Spencer, the dean of behavioral sciences at Yorkville University, says one thing that stood out to her from the survey was “we’re all connected and we’re all affected.”
“Really, everyone had a collective experience, whether it was the fatigue that was left over, the stress that it put on our bodies and our daily lives. But another piece is now, we all kind of know what it means when we say, ‘Wow this had been a hard last few years.’”
She adds that those shared experiences aren’t over yet.
“There’s still a lot of aftermath, still a lot of sickness. We all still see that fatigue really lingering as well, and many are dealing with grief and loss on top of that. So there’s really a sense of collective understanding that came out of this.”
Of those surveyed, 92 per cent agree that the pandemic left traumatic scars for people across Canada. And more than half said the state of parents’ and caregivers’ mental health post-pandemic is “somewhat or significantly deteriorating.”
Stewart-Spencer says, regardless of whether people struggled with their mental health or not before the pandemic began, everyone “felt a shift.”
“So collectively, we all felt that as well. And for those that are facing mental health crisis or still feeling the mental health illness that they’re experiencing, the reality is access to care is a huge concern right now. We really see that being the biggest, and really the most concerning. Making sure that we have enough front-line workers, making sure there’s a counsellor or psychotherapist there, ready to help. And the unfortunate part is we’re seeing extensive wait lines, we’re seeing extensive lack of care. So I’d say that’s a really big piece that came out of this.”
More than half of the survey’s respondents ranked access to care as one of the most challenging barriers facing people living with mental illness.
Stewart-Spencer says there is also a “back-to-back challenge” now.
“Because we’ve been dealing with years of really, stress, and this ongoing, chronic sense of struggle, but now we’re going into back-to-back challenges with the economic and financial hardships that we’re now encountering, so we really are seeing a wide range of impact.”
A large percentage of those surveyed said they see the flexible or hybrid workplaces that resulted from the pandemic as a positive thing.
“We’ve been in virtual care for almost two decades, but the relatively large access to that was really kind of cut off. We hadn’t accelerated into that space,” Stewart-Spencer says. “Because of the pandemic, we were able to innovate, to be creative, to find ways to reach clients and give the care that we need.
“We have found a new way as humans to truly connect and become an extension of our self in that space to give support to others.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
TSB concludes investigation into cause of London, Ont. freight train fire
More than two weeks after a freight train with several railcars ablaze rolled through the heart of the Forest City, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has concluded its investigation.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.