COVID-19 In Quebec Had A Bigger Effect On Montrealers' Mental Health Than Other Quebecers

The pandemic has hit people in ways they may have never imagined before — and some more than others. A recent study conducted by Santé Montréal found that Montrealers' mental health was more affected by COVID-19 in Quebec than the rest of Quebecers.

"In February 2021, about 1 in 3 Montrealers who responded showed symptoms consistent with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or probable depression, compared with about 1 in 5 respondents in the rest of Québec," the study stated.

More specifically, some groups presented a higher proportion of symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), namely women, younger people, Anglophone, essential workers, and workers in the health and social services network.

The five main factors associated with GAD that people felt include strong feelings of loneliness, low level of social support, feelings of inconsistency, being a victim of stigmatization, and having experienced significant financial losses.

The overall findings of the study showed that "Montrealers' mental health seems to not be as good as before the pandemic. The situation in Montréal worsened between September and November 2020, then remained stable in February 2021."