Overall
Grade
Sex
Socioeconomic Status
Overall
According to the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), Less than half (43% (36.9%, 49.4%)) of Simcoe Muskoka students (Grades 7-12) reported their mental health as excellent or very good, which was not significantly different from the provincial average of 46% (44.3%, 48.4%). Additionally, 31% (25.5%, 36.4%) of Simcoe Muskoka students reported their mental health as fair or poor, which again was not significantly different from the provincial average of 26% (24.7%, 28.3%).
The percentage of students in Ontario that reported their mental health as fair or poor increased significantly in 2019 when compared with 2015. A similar trend was observed for Simcoe Muskoka students; however, the difference was not statistically significant due to a smaller sample of students surveyed locally.
By Grade
Perceived youth mental health status is significantly worse for students in Grades 11 and 12 when compared to Grades 7 and 10 students. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 50% (39.2%, 60.1%) of Grade 11 and 12 students rated their mental health as fair or poor, which was significantly higher when compared to students in Grades 7 to 10.
By Sex
Perceived youth mental health status is significantly worse for females when compared with males. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 20% (14.6%, 25.8%) of male students (Grades 7-12) reported their mental health as fair or poor, which was significantly lower than the 42% (35.3%, 49.8%) of female students that rated their mental health as fair or poor.
By Socioeconomic Status
Perceived youth mental health status is significantly worse for students with lower perceived socioeconomic status (SES) when compared with students with higher perceived SES. In Simcoe Muskoka in 2019, 59% (50.5%, 67.3%) of students (Grades 7-12) with the highest perceived SES reported their mental health as excellent or very good, which was significantly higher students in both the middle and lowest perceived SES. Additionally, 58% (45.6%, 69.6%) of students in the lowest SES reported their mental health as fair or poor, which was significantly higher when compared with students in both the middle and the highest SES.
Page last updated June 16, 2022