Research Links
National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013. This Standard specifies requirements for a documented and systematic approach to develop and sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace, and provides a framework to create and continually improve a psychologically healthy and safe workplace, including a) the identification and elimination of hazards in the workplace that pose a risk of psychological harm to a worker; b) the assessment and control of the risks in the workplace associated with hazards that cannot be eliminated; c) implementing structures and practices that support and promote psychological health and safety in the workplace; and d) fostering a culture that promotes psychological health and safety in the workplace. Read more… (PDF English).
Prevention and mental health programs in the workplace, and the tremendous return on saving just ONE LIFE.
Benefits Canada, ROI of One Life series, 2012. This report sets out practical, cost-effective measures to reduce the incidence and impact of physical and mental illnesses in the workplace, focusing on the use of existing tools and resources. Read more… (website).
Jump in calls to EAP from federal public sector following cuts announced in March budget.
Canadian HR Reporter. Oct 27, 2012 edition. Article on Employee Assistance Program and mental health in the workplace. Read Full Article.
Mental health: Start talking to stop stigma.
Luke Hendry/The Intelligencer/QMI Agency. Larry Laws, executive director of the Mental Health Support Network of South Eastern Ontario, displays herd of foam-rubber Stigma elephants at the network’s office to help start discussions about mental illness. Read more… (PDF English).
The Hurting Profession: Lawyers in Crisis.
National, Apr-May 2012 edition. Canadian Law Association. Lawyers are becoming stressed sick and succumbing to depression, addictions and burnout.
Support for principles to guide transformation of the health care system gathers steam as patient groups sign on.
Jan 13, 2012. CMA announces that 14 patient advocacy groups have endorsed the joint CMA-CNA principles to guide the transformation of the health care system. MDSC participlated in this New Release.
Voices into Action: Report on the National Dialogue on Health Care Transformation.
The Canadian Medical Association embarked on a national public dialogue — online and at a series of six forums held in partnership with Maclean’s, L’actualité and CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel. The goal was to engage as many people as possible in an open discussion of what Canadians envision for our health care system and how to achieve this.
Start Over Again.
Emily Maguire. London, UK. 2010. Singer/songwriter Emily Maguire tells the story behind her songs… her journeys into psychosis and depression and the hope and poetic beauty that emerge from the other side. Based on the verses of her song ‘Start Over Again’ (from her album ‘Believer’), this selection of Emily’s poetry, prose, song lyrics and personal diary entries offers a rare and unique insight into the creativity of a manic depressive mind. Visit her Website.
After Her Brain Broke: Helping My Daughter Recover Her Sanity.
Susan Inman. 2010. Bridgeross Communications. Susan Inman’s memoir describes her family’s nine-year journey to help her younger daughter recover from a catastrophic schizoaffective disorder. Link to publisher’s site.
My Schizophrenic Life: The Road to Recovery From Mental Illness.
Sandra Yuen MacKay. 2010 Bridgeross Communications. Early in her life, Sandra started to exhibit the typical symptoms of this disease, which came as a surprise to her unsuspecting family. Her book chronicles Sandra’s struggles, hospitalizations, encounters with professionals, return to school, eventual marriage, and success as an artist, writer and advocate. Link to publisher’s site.
8 Signs You May Be Suffering From Depression.
Zoe Cormier. (Oct 2010). Best Health. Though we may shy away from the topic, depression is a real mental health issue that will affect many Canadians in their lifetime. Here are eight signs that you might be suffering from depression.
Workshop on Ending Stigma and Discrimination, and Achieving Parity in Mental Health: A Physician Perspective.
The Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Canadian Paediatric Society (Dec 2010). The report documents an invitational workshop to build shared understanding among physicians about the sources of stigma in the health care system, and recommend action to end stigma and discrimination and achieve parity in mental health. Read more… (PDF English).
Bipolar disorder and violent crime: New evidence from population-based longitudinal studies and systematic review.
Fazel, S. Lichtenstein, S. Grann, M. Goodwin, G. & Langstrom, N. (Sept 2010). Archives of General Psychiatry. A new study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet suggests that bipolar disorder — or manic-depressive disorder — does not increase the risk of committing violent crime. Instead, the over-representation of individuals with bipolar disorder in violent crime statistics is almost entirely attributable to concurrent substance abuse. Read Full Article .
Stigma Survey.
GAMIAN Europe (2006 & 2010). In 2006 GAMIAN-Europe undertook an extensive pan-European survey on stigma and empowerment involving 20 countries across geographical Europe. A follow-up survey in Europe is being conducted for 2010 to see if there has been any evolution in the last 5 years.
How Do Canadians Rate the Health Care System?
Health Council of Canada (Nov 2010). The bulletin shows that of all the countries surveyed, Canadians have the greatest difficulty when it comes to access to care in the evenings, weekends, and on holidays – anywhere other than the emergency room. Other areas where Canada did not fare well, compared to international counterparts, were around timely access to medical appointments and coordination of care.
Healthy Minds, Healthy People: A 10-year Plan to Address Mental Health and Substance Use With a Focus on Prevention of Problems, Early Intervention, Treatment and Sustainability.
Government of BC (Nov 2010). (PDF Full Report).
Presence and Predictors of Pain in Depression: Results from the FINDER Study.
Demyttenaere, K. et al (Sept 2010). Journal of Affective Disorders. Issues 1 -3, pg 53 – 60. A six-month study of the quality of life of 3468 outpatients diagnosed with depression showed that 56.3% experienced moderate to severe pain and 53.6% had moderate to severe-related interference with their day-to-day functioning. At six-months follow-up after treatment, 32.5% and 28.1% respectively were still experiencing pain. It was also found that older patients, those unemployed or those with a longer history of depression had a higher incidence of pain.
Navigating the journey to wellness: The comprehensive mental health and addictions action plan for Ontarians. Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions. (Aug. 2010).
The report offers 23 recommendations with the key one being: “A new umbrella organization—Mental Health and Addictions Ontario (MHAO), responsible to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care—should be created to ensure that a single body is responsible for designing, managing, and coordinating the mental health and addictions system, and that programs and services are delivered consistently and comprehensively across Ontario.” Read more… (PDF English).
Canadian survey on depression. July 2009.
A new national survey on depression reveals that despite their impact on a person’s daily life, disabling functional symptoms – difficulty concentrating or making decisions, lack of motivation and loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities – are taking a backseat to discussion around emotional symptoms during patient-physician interactions. Read more…(PDF English / French).
National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis. November 2008.
The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed and the Canadian Association for Research and Education in Intellectual Disabilities have joined with other groups to form the National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis.
National Integrated Framework for Enhancing Mental Health Literacy in Canada – Final Report.
July 2008.The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health is pleased to present this National Integrated Framework for enhancing Mental Health Literacy in Canada. CAMIMH defined mental health literacy as the knowledge and skills that enable people to access, understand and apply information for mental health. This definition places more of an emphasis on empowerment for health, a key concept in health promotion and health literacy. This National Framework represents the culmination of almost four years of research, planning and consultation across Canada. This project was initiated to research the mental health literacy of Canadians, to compare it with findings from other jurisdictions, to share the findings with key partners and in partnership, to develop an integrated strategy to improve mental health literacy in Canada. Read more… (PDF English).
CIHI’s Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada Series (2003-2006)
The goal of the Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada series of annual reports is to provide key indicators of hospital services for individuals diagnosed with mental illness, including separation volumes (discharges and deaths), service rates and lengths of stay. These indicators of hospital service usage are presented by age, gender and diagnosis and are provided at the pan-Canadian, provincial/territorial and regional levels.
- Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada, 2002-2006
- Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada, 2001-2002, CIHI, 2003 (PDF English).
The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada.
Government of Canada, October 2006
The purpose of The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness in Canada is to raise awareness and increase knowledge and understanding about mental health and mental illness in Canada. This report is the culmination of many hours of work by many dedicated people who care about improving the quality of life of people coping with mental illness and their families, and who believe in the power of positive mental health to help people “realize aspirations, satisfy needs and … cope with a changing environment.” Read more… (PDF English / French).
Correctional Investigator’s Report.
October 2006. For years, health care issues have been a primary area of offender complaints to this Office and the Correctional Service’s grievance process. By law, the Correctional Service must provide essential health care services to every inmate in accordance with “professionally accepted standards.” The law makes no reference to other measurements, such as community or provincial standards. To help ensure that this obligation was being met, the Correctional Service committed in 2001 to have all its health care units and regional mental health facilities accredited. Accreditation involves a detailed examination of an organization’s services and methods of operation.
Out of the Shadows at Last, Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
May 2006. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has received more than two thousand submissions from all across Canada on the subject of mental health, mental illness and addiction. The members of the Committee have come to recognize the reality that profound change is essential if persons living with mental illness are to receive the help they need and to which they are entitled. Read more by accessing the reports below:
- Out of the Shadows at Last: Highlights and Recommendations (PDF English / French).
- Out of the Shadows at Las: Full Report (PDF English / French).
Interim Reports (November 2004):
- Report 1: Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction: Overview of Policies and Programs in Canada. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. (PDF English / French).
- Report 2: Mental Health Policies and Programs in Selected Countries. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (PDF English / French).
- Report 3: Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction: Issues and Options for Canada. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (PDF English / French).
It’s Your Health, Health Canada.
May 2006. Most Canadians are affected by mental illness, either directly or indirectly, through family, friends or colleagues. Yet there is still a stigma attached to this range of diseases that is a barrier to correct diagnosis and treatment, as well as to the acceptance and support of people with mental illness within the community. Read more… (PDF English / French).
Fighting Stigma and Discrimination is Fighting for Mental Health.
Queen’s University, August 2005. This paper reviews the origins of stigma and discrimination and the main consequences for people with mental illness, and those around them. Stigma reduction efforts in Canada are reviewed in light of their absence from the reports of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. The paper closes with ten lessons for stigma reduction intended to both distill Canadian experiences and provide guidance for further policy debate. Reflecting on the international and Canadian experiences, of particular importance is recognizing that generic campaigns are largely ineffective, and that programs must be carefully focused upon selected groups. Read more…(PDF English).
Not For Service: Experiences of Injustice and Despair in Mental Health Care in Australia.
Mental Health Council of Australia, 2005. Australia has made a commitment under international human rights law to provide the ‘highest attainable standard’ of mental health care. As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, this commitment means that Australia should be setting the example for others to follow. This report demonstrates that while Australia has made many advances, there is still a long way to go. This is a report of the consultations by the Mental Health Council of Australia and the Brain and Mind Research Institute in association with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Read more… (PDF English).
A Call For Action.
2003. The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) calls for significantly increased attention to mental illness and mental health promotion at all levels of Canadian society. This paper is CAMIMH’s tool to engage abroad range of stakeholders in generating ideas and building consensus on a national vision and action plan for mental illness and mental health. It is hoped that this discussion paper will inspire many new partners and allies to WORK TOGETHER to achieve this vision through one strong voice. Read more… (PDF English / French).
Canadian Community Health Survey Mental Health and Well-being.
September 2003. As many Canadians suffer from major depression as from other leading chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes or a thyroid condition, according to new data on mental health and well-being from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Some 4% of people interviewed in the survey reported having experienced symptoms or feelings associated with major depression, compared with 5% with diabetes, 5% with heart disease and 6% with a thyroid condition.
Canadian Community Health Survey’s Canadian Forces Supplement on Mental Health.
On September 3 2003, the Canadian Community Health Survey released the first national results on mental health and well-being. Data are available from the Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey, a special supplement to the CCHS. The target population of the CCHS itself does not include full-time members of the Canadian Forces. As a result, the Department of National Defense commissioned Statistics Canada to conduct a supplemental survey of armed forces personnel, including personnel on reserve status. This survey measured the prevalence of five mental disorders: major depression, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and general anxiety disorder. It also measured the prevalence of alcohol dependence.
Emerging New Practices in Organized Peer Support, US Department of Health and Human Services.
2003. In the past decade, consumer-operated peer-support services have matured, diversified, and increased their numbers across the United States. As traditional mental health programs are strained by demands for services at a time of limited fiscal resources, the inclusion of consumer-operated/peer-support services within the continuum of community care is expanding the capacity of the mental health delivery system and promoting recovery in cost-effective ways. Read more… (PDF English).
Report on Mental Illness in Canada.
Public Health Agency of Canada, 2002. A Report on Mental Illnesses in Canada is designed to raise the profile of mental illness among government and non-government organizations, and the industry, education, workplace, and academic sectors. It describes major mental illnesses and outlines their incidence and prevalence, causation, impact, stigma, and prevention and treatment. Policy makers will find the information contained in this report valuable for shaping policies and services aimed at improving the quality of life of people with mental illness. Read more… (PDF English / French).
