Health Reports
A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research
January 2026
Investigating disparities in mental health care service use among people with mood and anxiety disorders
The prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders has increased substantially over the past decade, with prevalence rates in Canada for some disorders doubling from 2012 to 2022. Effective treatments for mood and anxiety disorders include medications and psychological interventions or therapy to manage symptoms and improve an individual’s quality of life. Nevertheless, many people face challenges when trying to access mental health care services. In 2022, about half of Canadians aged 15 and older who met diagnostic criteria for mood, anxiety, or substance use disorders had talked to a health professional about their mental health in the past year, and one-third had received some form of therapy or counselling. Differences in the prevalence of specific mental health disorders across sociodemographic groups are important to consider when evaluating disparities in mental health care utilization. Women tend to be more affected by mood and anxiety disorders and are also more likely to receive care, compared with men. Younger individuals are more likely to experience mood and anxiety disorders compared with those in older age groups and have been found to be more likely than older adults to receive mental health care services. There are, however, unique challenges that can arise for youth and for adolescents transitioning to adult health care services. For racialized and immigrant populations in Canada, there tends to be a lower reported prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders and less use of formal mental health care services. Findings on income are somewhat mixed, with some studies finding more use of mental health services among higher-income groups and others reporting no consistent association between income or wealth and the use of health services for common mental disorders, including depression.
Full article PDF versionPositive mental health among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Findings from three cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health
Mental health is an umbrella term that encompasses both negative states (e.g., mental health problems, mental illness) and positive mental health (PMH; i.e., psychological, emotional, and social well-being). Although much of the mental health field has focused on the prevention and treatment of mental ill health, monitoring and promoting PMH are also important for improving individual and population mental health. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) defines PMH as the capacity “to feel, think, [and] act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face.” To capture various facets of PMH, PHAC monitors several PMH outcome indicators (e.g., self-rated mental health [SRMH], sense of community belonging, life satisfaction) in Canada using the Positive Mental Health Surveillance Indicator Framework (PMHSIF). Monitoring these outcomes at a population level and identifying disparities between subpopulations is essential for informing programs and policies aimed at equitably improving Canadians’ well-being. This is especially crucial in the context of major events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, that could affect population mental health overall and for specific subpopulations. Indeed, although some indicators of PMH were declining before the pandemic, steeper decreases have been observed during the pandemic.
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