Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19: A Focus on Financial Strain
By: Patricia Tallon, BSc, RD, Evaluator, Centre for Healthy Communities
June 25, 2020
We all have mental health and must remember that mental health is not synonymous with mental illness. Different life circumstances – for example, the impacts of COVID-19, relationships with others, work and school environments, physical health, and the type of community people live in – can all positively and negatively affect mental health.1 The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the mental health of Canadians in numerous ways and has led to a record decline in mental health.2 Some ways that COVID-19 has impacted mental health include loneliness resulting from physical distancing measures, stress from increased care giving responsibilities, the effects of the pandemic on relationships, and concerns related to financial impacts.2
Canadians experiencing financial strain – which is the feeling of concern about their ability to meet financial obligations – live in our communities and are suffering the resultant mental health impacts. COVID-19 has simply increased these numbers due to workplace closures, layoffs, self-isolation, and a declining economy. An April 2020 report2 identified the financial impact of COVID-19 as the number one contributor to declining mental health. The individuals who reported the most significant reduction in mental health:- Were recently unemployed (within the past 6 months) compared to those employed
- Identified as female compared to those who identified as male
- Aged 20-29 years compared to all other age group
- Had children compared to those that did not
- Were residents of Alberta compared to all other provinces
- Had no emergency savings, regardless of income, compared to all other respondents
The overall results of the report show the mental health of all Canadians is at risk.
Healthy communities are groups of individuals that show care for one another and experience a sense of belonging. There are numerous types of communities. Some include workplaces, schools, a geographic area, or religious/spiritual affiliation. Knowing the significant toll that financial strain is having on people’s mental health, communities can consider community-led action on financial strain. The Centre for Healthy Communities explored actions that can be taken in this recent webinar. Communities can also find ideas from Alberta Health Services on their Reducing Impact on Health from Financial Strain (RIFS) website, including a community planning toolkit that was created in partnership between Alberta Health Services and the Centre for Healthy Communities.People in all communities should be aware of the mental health impact of COVID-19, regardless of cause, and know how to access the resources available to them. For example:
- Workplaces can learn more about protecting employee mental health through the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard). Employers can access an employer’s guide to managing through COVID-19 that applies the Standard in the context of COVID-19.
- School communities can prepare staff and families to talk about COVID-19 with younger children.
- Individuals in all communities can learn about the provincial and national resources available to support mental health.
1. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/about-mental-health.html
2. https://www.morneaushepell.com/sites/default/files/documents/7910-mental-health-index-report/22484/mental-health-index-report-apr-2020.pdf