Opening Eyes, Opening Minds: The Ontario Burden of Mental Illness and Addictions Report
2012/10/11
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Opening Eyes, Opening Minds:
The Ontario Burden of Mental Illness and Addictions Report
An Ontario study released yesterday demonstrates that “the burden of mental illness and addictions in Ontario is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers and more than seven times that of all infectious diseases.” The report goes on to say “five conditions have the highest impact on the life and health of Ontarians: depression, bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorders, social phobia and schizophrenia.
Research has shown that mental disorders and addictions are very prevalent (e.g. one in five Canadians will experience a mental disorder each year) and cost Canada billions of dollars (e.g. forty to fifty billion dollars annually). This study confirms that the burden of mental disorders and addictions is very high and outstrips the burden of many physical illnesses.
Burden can be calculated in a number of ways. In this study, burden was defined by the number of ‘years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) and year-equivalents of reduced functioning (YERF).’
The report was released on October 10th, 2012 by the Institute for Clinical Evaluation Sciences (ICES) and Public Health Ontario. ICES is “…an independent, non-profit organization that produces knowledge to enhance the effectiveness of health care for Ontarians.”