Our Hospital Mental Health Database (HMHDB) contains data on hospitalizations for mental illness in Canada. This data helps us understand the factors influencing mental health and addictions, as well as the treatment of these diseases. HMHDB data informs policy, clinical practices and service management in the mental health field.
Hospitalization is an important component of mental health services. This is particularly true for those whose mental illness has become severe or who have no other care options.
Hospitalization can help stabilize a person’s condition. Hospitalization also contributes to patient safety and helps connect patients with support and services outside hospital.
We welcome your feedback and questions
- Contact us at mentalhealth@cihi.ca.
Have a data inquiry or research question? Make a custom data request.
Information on mental health and addictions
Reports and analyses
Reports and analyses
- Hospital Mental Health Services for Concurrent Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders in Canada (May 2013)
- Hospital Mental Health Services in Canada (2009–2010) (Sept. 2012)
- Hospital Mental Health Database, 2010–2011: User Documentation (Feb. 2013)
- Restraint Use and Other Control Interventions for Mental Health Inpatients in Ontario (Aug. 2011)
- interRAI Mental Health Clinical Assessment Protocols (CAPs)
- Improving the Health of Canadians: Exploring Positive Mental Health (Mar. 2009)
- Exploring Hospital Mental Health Service Use in Ontario (2007–2008) (Mar. 2009)
- Hospital Length of Stay and Readmission for Individuals Diagnosed With Schizophrenia: Are They Related? (Apr. 2008)
Databases and data sources
Hospital Mental Health Database
The Hospital Mental Health Database (HMHDB) contains hospitalization data for mental illness in Canada. It also provides demographic and medical diagnosis information for people admitted to hospital because of mental illness. HMHDB data comes from four sources:
- Selected extracts of the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) for those provinces and territories participating in the DAD
- The Hospital Mental Health Survey, an annual collection of data on separations from some psychiatric hospitals
- The Hospital Morbidity Database (HMDB), for separation records from psychiatric and general hospitals in Quebec
- The Ontario Mental Health Reporting System (OMHRS), for clinical and administrative records for designated adult beds in Ontario
Ontario Mental Health Reporting System
OMHRS contains data about individuals admitted to adult mental health beds in Ontario. It includes information about their mental and physical health, as well as which social supports and services they use. The data is collected at admission, discharge and every three months for patients with extended stays.
OMHRS includes data on care planning, outcome measurement, quality improvement and applications for case mix–based funding. It also includes demographic, administrative and clinical information. OMHRS data is available from October 1, 2005, onward.
This data is of particular interest to researchers, health care facilities, regional health authorities, ministries of health and others interested in client characteristics, resource utilization and outcomes.
The data comes from the Resident Assessment Instrument–Mental Health (RAI-MH)©, a standardized data collection system for mental health.
Metadata
Metadata is information about data. It helps users understand and interpret data from a specific source.
Find out more about data on mental health and addictions:
