Global Courant 2023-05-06 05:16:36
With the World Health Organizations declaring COVID-19 no longer a global health emergency, Canadians are seeking to return to a sense of normalcy and offset the effects of the pandemic era.
According to a new survey conducted by American Express Canada, 68 percent of working Canadians reported that taking care of their mental health has become a greater priority for them in the past year.
“The pandemic has presented us with an extraordinary set of circumstances around the world whose mental health impacts are still being felt. Amex Canada’s vice president of peer experience Annette Kingsley told CTVNews.ca in an email interview. “Over the past two and a half years, many of us have struggled with prolonged isolation and feelings of fear and uncertainty. untreated or now aggravated due to extenuating circumstances.”
However, the survey found that there are barriers preventing salaried Canadians from seeking counseling services, such as out-of-pocket expenses (40 percent), the time commitment (29 percent), and the difficult process of finding a counselor (29 percent).
The survey also found that 53 percent of the 730 working Canadians surveyed said they would be more likely to use free on-site counseling services if offered by their workplace, while only 16 percent stated that their workplace currently does this. kind of support.
“As more of us return to the office, we also feel it is important that workplaces support colleagues by embedding wellness into their daily work routines. It has driven us to offer free on-site consulting services that remove common barriers in healthcare and give colleagues access to the support they need while on the job in a confidential and private environment,” added Kingsley.
The survey was conducted as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs until May 7. Each year, one in five people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia.
Survey methodology:
The survey was conducted on behalf of American Express Canada between April 28 and May 1, 2023 among 730 members of Maru Voice Canada’s online panel who identified as full-time or part-time.
Coverage for this story was paid for through the Meta-funded The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project.
