Key links
Infographic: Children and youth mental health in Canada
Data tables: Care for Children and Youth With Mental Disorders (XLSX)
May 5, 2022 — How has hospital use for children and youth with mental disorders changed over time? How many youth received medication for a mental disorder? We have data on hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits and medication use by children and youth (age 5 to 24) since 2016.
Surveys have found declining mental health among Canadians during the pandemic due to high levels of anxiety and loneliness, as well as changes to the care they were able to access. In 2020, there was a 20% decrease in youth reporting excellent or good mental health, while Kids Help Phone reported double the number of interactions (phone calls, texts, use of self-directed help resources) compared with 2019.
Certain mental disorders may have been disproportionately affected. For example, an increase in eating disorders may be the result of constraints on physical activities, a lack of social supports and increased exposure to media and social media.
Key findings
- While there was a small decrease in ED visits and hospital stays for children and youth with mental disorders in 2020, the proportion of ED visits and hospitalizations for mental disorders increased.
- There were higher rates of ED visits and hospitalizations for mental health reasons for females, and for those age 15 to 17 and 18 to 24.
- Eating disorders are complex and potentially life-threatening conditions often associated with food, body weight and body shape. ED visits and hospitalizations for eating disorders increased in 2020, particularly for females age 10 to 17, at a time when hospital care overall decreased.
- The rate of psychotropic medication use increased over time, with the highest rates for mood and anxiety medications among female youth.
- Those living in less-affluent neighbourhoods had higher rates of ED visits and hospitalizations for mental health overall. This was reversed for hospital care for eating disorders — those living in the most-affluent neighbourhoods had higher hospitalization rates.
Featured material
Care for Children and Youth With Mental Disorders
These data tables show trends in the use of hospital-based services and mood/anxiety medications among children and youth with mental disorders from 2016–2017 to 2020–2021.
Children and youth mental health in Canada
Get a snapshot of ED visits and hospitalizations for children and youth mental disorders.
Key links
Infographic: Children and youth mental health in Canada
Data tables: Care for Children and Youth With Mental Disorders (XLSX)