Overall
Grade
Sex
Socioeconomic Status
Overall
According to the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), 22% (17.8%, 27.4%) of Simcoe Muskoka students (Grades 7-12) experienced severe psychological distress in the four-weeks prior to the survey, which was not significantly different from the provincial average of 21% (19.2%, 22.0%). Psychological distress among Ontario students increased significantly in 2019 when compared with 2015 with 14% (12.5%, 16.0%) reporting severe distress. Simcoe Muskoka students reported similar levels of psychological distress in 2019 when compared with 2015.
By Grade
Psychological distress is worse for high school students when compared to Grades 7 and 8 students. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 70% (54.6%, 81.8%) of students in Grades 7 and 8 reported not experiencing any psychological distress in the previous four-weeks, which was higher than the 53% (46.3%, 60.0%) of high school students. Additionally, 26% (20.3%, 33.4%) of high school students reported severe psychological distress in the previous four-weeks, which was higher than the 13%* (6.5%, 24.3%) of Grade 7 and 8 students. Note these differences were not statistically significant due to a smaller sample of students surveyed locally.
*Interpret with caution, high variability.
By Sex
Psychological distress is significantly worse for female students (Grades 7-12) when compared to male students. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 73% (64.5%, 79.6%) of male students reported not experiencing any psychological distress in the previous four-weeks, which was significantly better than the 44% (36.5%, 50.9%) of female students. Additionally, 32% (25.2%, 40.2%) of female students reported severe psychological distress in the previous four-weeks, which was significantly higher than the 13% (9.3%, 16.8%) of male students.
By Socioeconomic Status
Psychological distress is significantly worse for students with lower perceived socioeconomic status (SES) when compared with students with higher perceived SES. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 70% (60.0%, 77.6%) of students (Grades 7-12) with the highest perceived SES reported no psychological distress in the previous four-weeks, which was significantly higher than the 42% (30.0%, 54.2%) of students in the lowest perceived SES that reported no psychological distress in the previous four weeks. Additionally, 43% (29.8%, 56.7%) of students in the lowest SES reported their severe psychological distress, which was significantly higher when compared with students in both the middle and the highest SES.
Page last updated June 16, 2022