Health care workers’ stress, alcohol consumption and positive health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Release date: April 15, 2024
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Infographic: Health care workers’ stress, alcohol consumption and positive health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic
Description: Health care workers’ stress, alcohol consumption and positive health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, most health care workers in Canada (95%) reported experiencing at least one stress factor in the workplace.

For almost every stress factor below, a higher percentage of nurses than physicians or personal support workers (PSWs) and care aides (CAs) said they experienced it.


Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1 Stress factors (appearing as column headers).
Stress factors
Increased workload Working overtime Was refused vacation Did work they normally didn’t do Changes in the methods for delivering care More conflict among colleagues More conflict between employees and management
Nurses 81% 61% 31% 61% 25% 40% 51%
PhysiciansNote * 63% 44% 8% 51% 66% 31% 38%
PSWs/CAsNote * 67% 43% 22% 45% 10% 31% 33%
Note *

statistically different from nurses for all stress factors (p < 0,05)

Return to note * referrer

1 in 4 health care workers reported drinking more than before the COVID-19 pandemic.


Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2 Percentage who reported drinking more (appearing as column headers).
Percentage who reported drinking more
Health care workers 25%
Nurses 28%
Physicians 27%
PSWs/CAs 14%

The higher the number of workplace stressors experienced, the more likely alcohol consumption increased among health care workers.


Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 Number of stress factors (appearing as column headers).
Number of stress factors
0 or 1 2 or 3 4 or 5 6 or 7
Percentage who reported drinking more 18% 24% 29% 38%

Most health care workers reported doing activities such as communicating with others and exercising to improve or maintain their health during the pandemic.


Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4 percent (appearing as column headers).
percent
Communicating with friends, family or peers 91%
Communicating with health care professionals 26%
Meditating or seeking spiritual guidance 28%
Exercising 70%
Participating in hobbies 62%
Getting enough sleep 62%

Source: Statistics Canada, “Experiences of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, September to November 2021,” The Daily, June 2022, and Survey on Health Care Workers’ Experiences During the Pandemic, 2021.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2024

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