Canadians With a Mental Health Disorder Who Have an Unmet Need for Mental Health Care
Lower percentages of people reporting unmet or partially unmet mental health needs are desirable.
Percentage of population who report having a diagnosed mental health disorder and feel that their mental health care needs were unmet or partially met
Population that reported having a mental health disorder diagnosed by a health professional that has lasted or is expected to last 6 months or more (based on weighted survey responses)
Total number of respondents with a diagnosed mental health disorder who reported that they needed mental health care in the past 12 months and whose needs were partially met or not met
Methodology
Name
Canadians With a Mental Health Disorder Who Have an Unmet Need for Mental Health Care
Short/Other Names
Unmet Mental Health Care Need
Description
The percentage of Canadians with a diagnosed mental health disorder lasting 6 months or more who report having an unmet mental health care need in the past 12 months
Rationale
Quick and equitable access to mental health treatment is important to millions of Canadians. This indicator provides a measure of the proportion of people with a diagnosed mental health disorder who felt that their mental health care needs were not met. Monitoring this indicator across population groups (such as sex, gender, race, language, income and rurality) will help policy-makers identify and address disparities in unmet mental health needs and improve access to care.
Interpretation
Lower percentages of people reporting unmet or partially unmet mental health needs are desirable.
HSP Framework Dimension
Health system outputs: Access to comprehensive, high-quality health services
Areas of Need
Living With Illness, Disability or Reduced Function
Targets/Benchmarks
Not applicable
Indicator Results
Results are currently not available. Data from the CCHS 2024 and CHSCY 2024 will be available in 2025.
Update Frequency
Every year
Latest Results Update Date
Updates
Not applicable
Description
Percentage of population who report having a diagnosed mental health disorder and feel that their mental health care needs were unmet or partially met
Type of Measurement
Percentage or proportion
Denominator
Description:
Population that reported having a mental health disorder diagnosed by a health professional that has lasted or is expected to last 6 months or more (based on weighted survey responses)
Inclusions:
Individuals with a diagnosed mental health disorder
For the CCHS, a diagnosed mental health disorder includes the following:
- A mood disorder (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder, mania, dysthymia)
- An anxiety disorder (e.g., phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- An eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder)
- Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Schizophrenia or any other psychosis
For the CHSCY, a diagnosed mental health disorder includes the following:
- A mood disorder (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder, mania, dysthymia)
- An anxiety disorder (e.g., phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- An eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder)
- Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
- Substance-use disorder (e.g., alcohol use disorder, cannabis dependence, opioid dependence)
Exclusions:
- Non-response categories (refusal, don’t know, not stated)
- People with a diagnosed mental health disorder other than those listed
Numerator
Description:
Total number of respondents with a diagnosed mental health disorder who reported that they needed mental health care in the past 12 months and whose needs were partially met or not met
Inclusions:
Respondents with a mental health disorder who felt that they needed mental health care and whose needs were partially met or not met (CCHS)
Respondents with a mental health disorder whose perceived needs for mental health care were partially met or unmet (CHSCY)
Exclusions:
None
Method of Adjustment
Not applicable
Not applicable
Adjustment Applied
Covariates used in risk adjustment:
Not applicable
Geographic Assignment
Place of residence
Data Sources
- CCHS, Statistics Canada
Caveats and Limitations
This indicator does not capture people with a mental health disorder who do not have a diagnosis or those with a diagnosed mental health disorder that is not listed.
Data for the CCHS is collected yearly from a sample of approximately 65,000 respondents. The CCHS covers the population age 18 and older living in the 10 provinces and 3 territories. Excluded from the survey’s coverage are
- Persons living on reserves and in other Indigenous settlements in the provinces
- Full-time members of the Canadian Forces
- The institutionalized population
- Persons living in 2 Quebec health regions: Nunavik Region and Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James Region
Altogether, these exclusions represent less than 3% of the Canadian population age 18 and older.
The CHSCY excludes children and youth living on reserves and other Indigenous settlements in the provinces, children and youth living in foster homes and the institutionalized population. Additional data caveats for the CHSCY will be included as data becomes available for reporting.
Trending Issues
Not applicable
References
Statistics Canada. Canadian Community Health Survey — Annual Component (CCHS). Accessed May 2024.
Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY). Accessed May 2024.
How to cite:
Canadian Institute for Health Information. Canadians With a Mental Health Disorder Who Have an Unmet Need for Mental Health Care. Accessed April 25, 2025.
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Comments
This indicator is part of a set of common indicators to measure progress on the priority areas to improve health care announced by federal, provincial, and territorial governments in 2023. Additional information is available on the Shared Health Priorities web page.