Health Canada reports that 1 in 5 will experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime including depression, anxiety, substance abuse or other challenges. Based on the estimate that 2 to 3% of the population has a serious mental illness, if 2.5% of the adult population in Niagara in 2006 had a serious mental health illness 9, 133 persons were affected. In 2004, for females in Niagara, the number of hospital days by leading cause was circulatory disease (20,879), followed by mental disorders (20,194). In 2003, of those who had contact with a health professional, about mental health in the past 12 months 7.2% were 20 to 34 years; 13.8% were 35 to 44 and 5.45% were 45 to 65.
In Canada 4,000 commit suicide yearly. Suicide is the leading cause of death in youth 10-24. In Niagara, there were 805 suicides from 1986 to 2004 (3.5 to 1 ratio of male to female like the national data and highest in males 25-44 and females 25-54). 3,374 were admitted to hospital with non-fatal attempts 1996 to 2001. Source: Niagara Suicide Prevention Coalition, 2006.
Source: Statistics Canada: CANSIM Table 105-0263 and 105-0463
Rating: 2
