Douglas Institute reacts to data from the 2008 National Report Card on Health Care from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

Mimi Israël, MD, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, says that Canadians’ responses to the survey questions pertaining to mental health are unfortunately all too familiar. “One would think that more headway had been made in recent years in terms of changing people’s attitudes towards mental illness. What is shocking about the results of this survey carried out by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of the CMA is the number of respondents who agreed with the stereotypes presented.”

Indeed, according to the survey:

• Almost half of Canadians (46%) think that mental illness is used as an excuse for poor behaviour. This is seen notably with depression, which people sometimes perceive as a pretext for an extended vacation. 
•  Only one in three Canadians (31%) would hire a landscaper if this person was believed to have a mental illness. The perception persists that people with mental illnesses are unpredictable, unstable or even violent.

“We can’t blame people for their opinions or perceptions about mental illness. On the other hand, these perceptions do demonstrate the need for large-scale awareness campaigns to educate the general public. We must act with a sense of urgency, as current statistics show that one in five people suffers or will suffer from a mental illness in his or her lifetime,” states Mimi Israël. Funding for care and research in mental health is inversely proportional to the number of people affected, especially when compared with other “more accepted” illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. “Because of the received notions and discrimination that still surround mental illness, too many people suffer in silence and too many families become isolated and therefore unable to help their loved ones.”

“Mental illness exacts a heavy human and social toll. Its estimated cost in terms of care and losses in productivity is 14 billion dollars a year in Canada, which includes over 5 billion dollars in Quebec,” she adds.

DOUGLAS MEDIA EXPERTS TO COMMENT ON THE SURVEY: 

• Mimi Israël, MD, FRCPC, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at the Douglas Institute, will be available for interviews today between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
• Jean-Bernard Trudeau, M.D., Director, Professional and Hospital Services, Douglas Institute and President of the Association médicale québécoise, is available for interviews.

DOUGLAS EXPERTS AVAILABLE TO COMMENT DURING CMA’S ANNUAL MEETING:

This week, doctors will be discussing various issues related to mental health during the CMA’s Annual Meeting in Montreal. The following Douglas experts will be available for interviews:

• Youth and mental illness
  Johanne Renaud, MD, FRCPC, Medical Director, Youth Section, Depressive Disorders Program, Douglas Institute
  Screening young people for mental health disorders (depression, suicide). The importance of establishing methods to identify potential mental health disorders at as young an age as possible.
• Canadian military and mental illness
  Alain Brunet, PhD, Researcher, Clinical Psychologist specialized in PTSD, Douglas Institute
  Systematic screening of members of the Canadian military after tours of duty. Why this is important and how to help those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Depression
  Mimi Israël, MD, FRCPC, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Douglas Institute
  In a few years, depression will be the second leading cause of disability. What can we do right now to prevent this from happening?