What is already known on this subject?
- Evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound negative impact on the mental health of Canadians and that people in vulnerable populations have been hit the hardest.
- Little research has explored the differential impact of the pandemic on those experiencing different degrees of mental health difficulties.
What does this study add?
- Two-thirds (65.70%) of Canadian adults were classified as having no mental health difficulties (Profile 1). One-quarter (25.52%) were classified as having low-to-moderate mental health difficulties(Profile 2)and 1/12 (8.78%) were classified as having severe mental health difficulties (Profile 3).
- Individuals who were most vulnerable to negative impacts and suicidal ideation during the pandemic included those who experienced severe levels of anxiety, depression and psychological distress.
- Individuals in Profile 2 (4.27%) and Profile 3 (19.09%), compared with those in Profile 1 (0.16%), were at greater odds of having contemplated suicide since the onset of the pandemic (OR = 24.30 and OR = 115.75, respectively). Among individuals with severe mental health difficulties, one in five had contemplated suicide since the onset of the pandemic.
