Positive mental health among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Findings from three cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health.

BACKGROUND: Canadians' positive mental health (PMH) decreased during the early and mid stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Less is known about whether PMH recovered as the pandemic transitioned away from being a global health emergency. The aim of the current study was to compare PMH estimates during the late stage of the pandemic with earlier stages. DATA AND METHODS: Population-based, cross-sectional data from adults in the 10 Canadian provinces from all three cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health were analyzed. Data were collected in the early (September to December 2020; N=11,324), mid (February to May 2021; N=5,742), and late (February to May 2023; N=11,526) stages of the pandemic. Estimates for three PMH outcomes (high self-rated mental health [SRMH], high community belonging, and mean life satisfaction) in the late stage of the pandemic were compared with estimates from the early and mid stages, overall and for various subgroups. RESULTS: Overall, mean life satisfaction and the prevalence of high SRMH and community belonging were higher in 2023 compared with 2021. Compared with 2020, mean life satisfaction was higher in 2023. However, the prevalence of high SRMH and community belonging remained lower in 2023. Similar patterns were observed among many subgroups; however, the specific groups to which they applied varied by PMH outcome. Younger adults displayed relatively low estimates at all timepoints. INTERPRETATION: Despite some indication of recovery in the well-being of adults in Canada in the late stage of the pandemic, there remains room for improvement, especially among certain sociodemographic groups (e.g., younger adults).