Health Reports, July 2024

Released: 2024-07-17

Canadian women and girls are more likely to report having poorer mental health than men and boys and compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic

The existing gender inequity in mental health outcomes has widened since the onset of the pandemic. Furthermore, mental health inequalities experienced by women and girls from diverse backgrounds who faced multiple vulnerabilities may have intensified during this period.

Gender disparities in mental health are persistent

The study "Mental health among women and girls of diverse backgrounds in Canada before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: An intersectional analysis" found that gender disparities in mental health outcomes between men and boys and women and girls were persistent both before (2019) and during (September to December 2020) the pandemic. In 2020, 12% of women and girls reported having poor self-perceived mental health compared with 9% of men and boys (compared with 9% of women and girls and 7% of men and boys in 2019). After controlling for sociodemographic factors, women and girls had higher odds of poorer self-perceived mental health and worsened mental health compared with before the pandemic than men and boys. Additionally, the gender gap in poor self-perceived mental health increased during the pandemic compared with 2019.

Sociodemographic characteristics play an important role in poor mental health

In 2020, about 2.6 million women and girls, or approximately 16% of them, had three or more vulnerable characteristics, such as low income, unemployment, immigrant status, Indigenous identity, racialized group membership, LGB+ sexual orientation and disability. When multiple of these characteristics intersect, the poor mental health outcomes for diverse groups of women and girls become more pronounced. In 2020, compared with women and girls who did not report having any of these sociodemographic characteristics, those with one were 2.0 times as likely to report having low self-perceived mental health. Women and girls with two of these characteristics were 2.5 times more likely to report having low self-perceived mental health, and those with three or more characteristics were almost 3.0 times more likely.

Specific types of intersectionality

The intersectionality of specific socioeconomic characteristics significantly influenced mental health outcomes. During the pandemic, women and girls possessing certain attributes reported having lower self-perceived mental health compared with those with none of these characteristics. Notably, women and girls with a disability were 7.8 times more likely to report having poor mental health, those identifying as LGB+ were 5.6 times more likely, and those who reported having an Indigenous identity were 3.6 times more likely.

Furthermore, unemployed Indigenous women and girls were the most likely to report experiencing a deterioration in their mental health since the onset of the pandemic. Approximately 55% of this group reported experiencing a decline in their mental health, compared with 37% of women and girls in general and 29% of men and boys. This finding was consistent with previous research suggesting that various pre-existing socioeconomic and health challenges women face exacerbate poor mental health. These challenges are often a result of enduring systemic oppression, discrimination and inequality, such as the experiences of Indigenous women and the historical legacy of residential schools.

These results suggest that the pandemic had a significant impact on women and girls, particularly those from diverse backgrounds and those who were the most vulnerable, such as women facing multiple vulnerabilities. It is critical to consider the intersections of such sociodemographic characteristics for a more comprehensive understanding of impacts on mental health outcomes. This approach is essential not only for identifying groups of women at higher risk of experiencing poor mental health but also for understanding the specific interrelationships among diverse characteristics that influence mental health outcomes. This perspective can help inform the development of targeted interventions and other support systems to address the unique needs of these vulnerable groups.

Products

The article "Mental health among women and girls of diverse backgrounds in Canada before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: An intersectional analysis" is now available in the July 2024 online issue of Health Reports, Vol. 35, No. 07 (Catalogue number82-003-X).

This issue of Health Reports also contains the article "The association between rurality, places of care and the location of death of long-term care home residents with dementia: A population-based study."

Contact information

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