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Did you know?

In Quebec

  • There are 10 to 12 major neuropsychiatric disorders that affect 12% of the population.
  • One in six people suffer from some form of mental illness.
  • 170,000 people have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
  • Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression affect 2% of the population. That includes 700,000 Canadians and over 150,000 Quebecers.
  • Depressive disorders increased by 36% in Canada between 1995 and 2000. (La Presse, April 15, 2001)
  • Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression in their lifetime. (Report on Mental Illness in Canada, October 2002)
  • From 1990 to 2020, the impact of mental illness and neurological disorders has increased by 40.5%. (A university institute in mental health for Quebec City and the eastern regions of Quebec, 2003)
  • Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the population, causing mild to severe disability.
  • Children of people with a mental illness have a 30% to 50% risk of developing a mental health problem. (La parentalité au quotidien, Catherine Vallée, Le partenaire, vol. 12, no. 1, Fall 2004, p.10)
  • Mowbray et al. (2001) found that almost one-third of women with mental illness live with their partner and children and about one in seven women live with extended family members and their children. However, parents with mental health problems are more likely to live without a partner (Greaves et al., 2002). (La parentalité au quotidien, Catherine Vallée, Le partenaire, vol. 12, no. 1, Fall 2004, p. 8).

 

The scope of prejudice

  • People with a serious mental illness face the highest level of stigma in the workplace. (Canadian Mental Health Association)
  • Stigma is recognized as the main barrier to inclusion for people with a mental illness. (Mental Health in Quebec, 2002, vol. 27, no. 1)
  • Prejudice is reflected as discrimination and exclusion, non-recognition of skills, misunderstanding, labelling (we only see the illness and not the person) and lack of openness from employers. (Mental Health in Quebec, 2002, vol. 27, no. 1)
  • Prejudice is primarily attributed to a lack of understanding of the issues faced by people with a mental illness. (Mental Health in Quebec, 2002, vol. 27, no. 1)
  • According to an Ontario study, 67% of people with a history of depression expect to experience discrimination in their jobs. (ROELOFFS, C. et al., 2003, Stigma and depression among primary care patients, General Hospital of Psychiatry)

 

Mental Health and Work

  • The unemployment rate for people with a serious mental illness is between 70% and 90%, even though most want to work. (Canadian Mental Health Association)
  • 33% of people with a mental illness report being counselled to take menial jobs that are far below their skill level. (SANDERSON, K. and ANDREWS, G., 2006, Common mental disorders in the workforce, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry)
  • 40% of workers with a mental illness earn close to the minimum wage, compared to 20% of those without a mental illness. (COOK, J.A., 2006, Employment barriers for people with psychiatric disabilities, Psychiatric Services)

 

Prevention

  • Early identification and treatment of mental health disorders can reduce the likelihood that they will become chronic. For example, studies show that when people experiencing mental health problems get help within the first few months of their onset, they are more likely to recover more quickly. (Wilson, M., Joffe, R., & Wilkerson, B.,2002, The unheralded business crisis in Canada: Depression at work)

 

Social impacts

  • 26.3% of the prescriptions received by unemployed people and income security recipients in Quebec are for psychotropic drugs, anxiolytics and sleeping pills.
  • Men aged 20-64 who are divorced or separated are six times more likely to report a depressive episode than those still in a relationship, but women who have experienced a breakup are only 3.5 times more likely to experience depression than those in a relationship.
  • Between 2003-2004, nearly one third of the 60,000 referrals to the Department of Youth Protection concerned children whose parents were mentally ill.
  • Currently, 25-30% of workplace absenteeism is attributable to some form of mental illness. (L’Actualité, May 1, 2001)
  • Nearly 2.7 million Canadian workers have lost more than 155,000 person-years of productivity, for a total of $6.02 billion. (The Canadian Press, June 4, 2001, based on a study conducted by the Federal Department of Health, published in the scientific journal Chronic Diseases in Canada)
  • Five of the top ten causes of disability worldwide are due to mental illness (major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcoholism and obsessive-compulsive disorder.) (Canadian Mental Health Association)
  • 78% of hospitalizations for personality disorder in general hospitals are for young adults aged 15 to 44. (Report on Mental Illness in Canada, October 2002)
  • One in seven hospitalizations in Canada involve patients with a mental illness. (Canadian Institute for Health Information)
  • 6% of the 2.8 million hospital stays in 2002-2003 were for patients with a primary diagnosis of mental illness.
  • The 2002-2003 Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada Report shows that the majority of hospital stays are associated with mood disorders (34%), schizophrenic and psychotic disorders (21%) and substance use disorders (14%).
  • According to the Economic Burden of Mental Health Problems in Canada study, depression cost at least $14.4 billion in medical treatment, medication, loss of productivity and early deaths in 1998.
  • In Canada, the cost of mental illness is estimated to account for nearly 14% of all Canadian business revenue. (Michael Wilson, Globe and Mail, Monday, January 7, 2002)
  • Employees who are diagnosed with depression and take appropriate medication will save their employers the cost of 11 days of absenteeism per year on average. (Wilson, M., Joffe, R., & Wilkerson, B., 2002, The unheralded business crisis in Canada: Depression at work)
  • Research by Chrysalis Performance Inc. shows that stress in the workplace represents:
    19% of absenteeism costs
    40% of turnover costs
    55% of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) costs
    60% of workplace injuries
    10% of drug plan costs
    100% of stress-related lawsuits (Burton, J. (2004). IAPA’s creating healthy workplaces)
  • Mental health claims are the fastest growing category of disability costs in Canada. Estimates confirm that they account for approximately 30-40% of claims recorded by major insurers and employers in Canada. Three-quarters of employers say that mental health issues are the leading cause of both short-term and long-term claims in their organization. (Canada Safety Council)
  • Mental illness accounts for 30% of disability claims, costing $15-33 billion annually in Canada. (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
  • The cost of mental health-related workplace accommodations is relatively low and well under $500 per person per year in most cases. (Office of Disability Employment Policy, US Department of Labor. Work-site accommodation ideas for people with psychiatric disabilities. Job Accommodation Network.)