Morneau Shepell launched on Monday its full Mental Health Index report indicating the biggest decline in mental health and wellbeing has been in Alberta followed by Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

“Expanding our research to identify the more granular trends affecting individuals in Canada was critical to better inform our support for those in need,” said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer, in a news release. “While we expect individuals to feel different levels of anxiety depending on their unique situation, one thing that remains true is that business leaders have a responsibility to support the well-being of their people. Providing targeted, informed support that specifically addresses the anxieties individuals are facing is critical, especially in challenging times.”

The company had done some preliminary research just over a month ago.

“When analyzing individual households, those who identify as female were significantly more likely to report a negative impact to their mental health as a result of the pandemic, declining 14.6 points (compared to males declining 8.8 points). This trend followed for those in younger age groups (those aged 20-29 reporting the most negative impact), individuals that have lost their job in the past six months and those in the lowest income bracket (under $30,000 per annum),” it said.

“Our Mental Health Index report comes at a unique and important time,” said Paula Allen, senior vice president of research, analytics and innovation. “As Canada nears its peak in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, we’re also facing a pivotal moment in addressing the anxieties that individuals are facing as a result of the virus’ impact on their daily lives. Now is the time to intervene with support programs, such as the internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy offering that the Government of Manitoba launched for its residents. This type of support can help prevent these mental health concerns from becoming a full-blown crisis.”

The full report can be found at https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/92289/mental-health-index-report-apr-2020.pdf.