The Mental Well-Being of Canadian Young Adults Versus Older Adults Before, During, and After Covid-19’s First Wave: Do Sociodemographic Characteristics Matter?
Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
23 January 2024
Abstract
Using a series of nationally representative cross-sectional surveys, this study shows that younger Canadian adults (aged 18–34) rated their own mental health positively (as “very good” or “excellent”) less often than older adults (i.e., 35+), both before and during the pandemic. Also, younger adults’ positive mental health ratings declined particularly sharply following the onset of the pandemic, with declines of more than 25 percent between the pre-pandemic (60.9% [95% CI 59.3-62.4]), and the pandemic (e.g., 43.8% [95% CI 38.7-49.0]) periods. Young adult women appeared particularly vulnerable, but immigrant youth showed signs of resilience.
Résumé
À l’aide d’enquêtes transversales représentatives nationalement, cette étude montre que les jeunes adultes canadiens (18-34 ans) considèrent que leur santé mentale était positive (très bonne ou excellente) dans une moindre proportion que les adultes plus âgés (35+ ans) avant et pendant la pandémie. Dans la foulée de l’apparition de la pandémie, cette proportion a chuté de manière particulièrement marquée chez les jeunes adultes, avec une diminution de plus de 25 % entre les périodes prépandémique (60,9 % [IC 95 % 59,362,4]) et pandémique (43,8 % [IC 95 % 38,7-49,0]). De plus, les jeunes femmes adultes présentaient des signes de vulnérabilité, tandis que les jeunes adultes issus de l’immigration faisaient montre de résilience.
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Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 42 • Number 4 • December 2023
Pages: 63 - 72
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Version of record online: 23 January 2024
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Guillaume Descary, Elizabeth Olivier, Éliane Thouin, Rubab Arim, Véronique Dupéré, Isabelle Archambault, and Kristel Tardif-Grenier. 2023. The Mental Well-Being of Canadian Young Adults Versus Older Adults Before, During, and After Covid-19’s First Wave: Do Sociodemographic Characteristics Matter?. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health.
42(4): 63-72. https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2023-029
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