Women’s mental health is the toughest phase of two years in the pandemic

Mental health is a struggle for many people of all ages and genders, but women between the ages of 18 and 54 are most likely to claim that it has gotten worse in the recent two years. Three-quarters of women aged 18 to 34 (60%) and 35 to 54 (63%) believe their mental health has deteriorated “slightly” or “very much” since March 2020.

In contrast, more than half of men aged 18 to 54 – including 54% of 18- to 34-year-olds and 55% of 35- to 54-year-olds – said their mental health was “little.” Or “very” worse. Furthermore, men over the age of 54 are as likely to say it hasn’t changed (46%) as they say it has (46%).

COVID-19 infection has been linked to more severe outcomes in older Canadians, but they are most likely to report those without emotional consequences. This is something that half of all retirees in Canada agree on.

Three in 18- to 34-year-olds (61%) say their mental health has worsened in the two years since the global pandemic was declared, with three-tenths saying it got worse.

The study also found that the mental health status of women aged 18 to 54 was worse than that of other groups. Half (46%) of 18- to 34-year-olds and 35 to 54-year-olds (42%) say they haven’t been doing well in the past few weeks. In comparison, one-quarter of men over the age of 54 say they are unconcerned.