Overall
By Age
By Sex
By Education and Income
Overall
Self-rated mental health measures an individual's perception of their overall mental health using a single question rated on a five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor). A 2010 validation study, conducted by Statistics Canada, on self-rated mental health showed significant associations with lower self-rated mental health and several other measures of mental illness.
According to the 2015-2016 cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) conducted by Statistics Canada, 66% (60.3%, 70.7%) of Simcoe Muskoka residents (aged 12 years or older) reported their mental health as excellent or very good. The per cent that reported their mental health as excellent or very good in Simcoe Muskoka was lower than the provincial average of 71% (70.2%, 72.0%) (though not significantly lower).
By Age
Perceived mental health status is lowest among Simcoe Muskoka adults 45 to 64 years of age and highest among Simcoe Muskoka residents aged 65 years and up. In Simcoe Muskoka from 2015 to 2016, 61% (54.3%, 68.0%) of older adults between the ages of 45 and 64 rated their mental health as excellent or very good, which was significantly lower than Ontarians aged 45 to 64 (71% [69.2%, 72.2%]).
Perceived mental health status is similar for males and females. In Simcoe Muskoka from 2015 to 2016, 69% (61.3%, 76.1%) of males (12+ years) rated their mental health as excellent or very good, which was not significantly different from the 62% (56.2%, 67.9%) of females (12+ years) that rated their mental health as excellent or very good.
By Education and Income
Perceived mental health status increases with higher levels of education. In Simcoe Muskoka from 2015 to 2016, 53% (44.0%, 61.8%) of adults (aged 25 to 64) with a high school education or less rated their mental health as excellent or very good, which was significantly lower than the 76% (63.4%, 84.7%) of adults with a degree or higher.
Perceived mental health status also increases with higher levels of household income. From 2015 to 2016, 51% (39.9%, 62.7%) of Simcoe Muskoka residents (12 years and older) living in the lowest income quintile rated their mental health as excellent or very good, which was significantly lower than the 75% (66.6%, 82.6%) of those living in the second highest income quintile that rated their mental health as excellent or very good.
