COVID & Mental Health

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, mental health impacts were unknown but urgent. Our COVID and Mental Health project brought together Canadian and UK expertise through partnerships with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Mental Health Foundation UK, delivering timely evidence that shaped pandemic mental health responses across multiple sectors.

Related Publications

  • Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family mental health in Canada: Findings from a multi-round cross-sectional study

    We examined the mental health impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among parents with children <18 years old living at home over three study rounds in May 2020 (n = 618), September 2020 (n = 804), and January 2021 (n = 602). Data were collected using a cross-sectional online survey of adults living in Canada, nationally representative by age, gender, household income, and region.

    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

    2021/11

    Methods:
  • Reddit users’ experiences of suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of r/Covid19_support posts

    The COVID-19 pandemic is having considerable impacts on population-level mental health, with research illustrating an increased prevalence in suicidal thoughts due to pandemic stressors. The objective of this study was to examine how Reddit users within the r/COVID19_support community describe their experiences of suicidal thoughts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Frontiers in Public Health

    2021/08

    Methods:
  • Examining associations between food worry and mental health during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada

    Little is known about the association between mental health and diminished food worry during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines worry about having enough food to meet household needs and its association with mental health during the early months of the pandemic in Canada.

    Canadian Journal of Public Health

    2021/08

    Methods:
  • Examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family mental health in Canada

    In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation, school/child care closures and employment instability have created unprecedented conditions for families raising children at home. This study describes the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with children in Canada.

    BMJ Open

    2021/01

    Methods: