People in N.S. most anxious during pandemic: poll

HALIFAX — If you’re a Nova Scotian feeling a lot more anxious since the COVID19 pandemic hit, you’re not alone, according to a poll released Thursday.

The survey found about 27 per cent of Nova Scotians described their anxiety level as “high” since the pandemic began, a 20 per cent jump from pre-pandemic levels.

That compares to 22 per cent of Canadians who reported high anxiety levels post-pandemic and seven per cent before the pandemic, according to the poll commissioned by Mental Health Research Canada and conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights.

PSI surveyed 4,010 adult Canadians in August and 1,803 Canadians in April. A third survey is planned for October.

About 16 per cent of Nova Scotians reported high levels of depression since the pandemic, more than double the pre-pandemic number of seven per cent. That compares to 13 per cent nationwide and six per cent respectively.

The rates of high anxiety and depression in Nova Scotia didn’t surprise sociologist Dr. Katie Aubrecht, who holds the Canada Research Chair Health Equity and Social Justice at St. Francis Xavier University and is a board director for Mental Health Research Canada.

“In Nova Scotia, there’s been so much that has happened,” she said in an interview Thursday, referring not only to the pandemic but to the Portapique mass shootings in April.

“We’ve had a really challenging time. It really makes it clear that there are things that are happening in the region that are distinct from other places.”

The poll also found that Nova Scotians, along with respondents in Ontario, are most likely in the country to expect their anxiety and depression levels to be high if pandemic isolation measures continue for two more months.

TEACHERS’ ANXIETY JUMPS

Not surprisingly, the pandemic has been particularly hard on Canadian teachers grappling with the reopening of schools.

“Primary school and secondary school teachers are not only experiencing high levels of anxiety, but it’s increased by 500 per cent as compared to pre-COVID-19 levels,” Aubrecht noted.

Other findings that stood out for her involved the activities that initially helped people early in the pandemic such as virtual kitchen parties and family activities.

“Those types of things, people are saying are not working any more,” she said. “In fact in some cases, … such as family relationships that helped them get through that first few months, it’s not only that they’re not helping anymore, but some people even perceive them as harmful to their mental health.”

Aubrecht praised the depth and detail of the information provided in the survey.

“It reminds us that this is here, this is real and we’re going to have to address it,” she said.

“We need this information, we need to collect it at the local level, we need to support people in analyzing this information, we need to support communities in taking leadership and providing specific information about their own communities, and helping to guide how that information is being analyzed and interpreted.”

She said society must face up to the challenges that people with mental illness face, particularly in light of the reduction in access to family doctors, specialists and other services.

“The pandemic has shone a spotlight on gaps in the system. Sixty per cent of the Canadian population who had some sort of mood disorder said they were taking drugs to manage their condition without any therapy or treatment.”

Research Nova Scotia partnered with Mental Health Research Canada to increase the survey sample in Nova Scotia.

This additional data allowed for Nova Scotia-specific analysis and has provided an essential resource for the province’s mental health research community, the organization said in a news release.

“As a research organization, understanding the specific mental health challenges facing Canadians is critical to our success in combating this element of the pandemic,” said CEO Stefan Leslie.

“Having detailed data on Nova Scotia supports a variety of mental health research, which informs the improved delivery of mental health services.”

A full report of the survey is available on Research Nova Scotia’s website, www.researchns.ca/mhrc. Researchers can also request access to the data.