More British Columbians support medical assistance in dying (MAID) for mentally ill people than their fellow Canadians nationwide, according to polling form the Angus Reid Institute.
Still, support in B.C. sits at just 33 per cent, whereas across the country only 28 per cent support such a proposition for individuals whose sole condition is mental illness, based on a poll of 1,872 respondents.
“As the debate over expanding eligibility to medical assistance in dying to include individuals whose sole condition is mental illness continues, there is much concern among Canadians over the state of mental health care in the country ahead of this weighty decision,” the pollster stated.
The federal government is examining the expansion of MAID to mentally ill people, the poll noted.
As many as four in five Canadians have voiced their concern about the resources, or lack thereof, mentally ill people are being provided by governments. Two in five Canadians who say they have sought help also report facing barriers, according to the poll.
Among the findings that could shed light on the state of mental health care, Angus Reid found those who encountered barriers to receive mental health care are more likely to be in lower income households (36 per cent) than those who found their access easy (24 per cent). And, those who do seek treatment are more likely to support MAID expansion than those who have not, regardless of access issues.
One positive finding from the polling on mental health was that since pandemic restrictions lifted, “Canadians are more likely to say they have felt great (23%) or good (51%) mentally in recent weeks than 18 months ago. Still, half (47%) say they feel fatigued, while approaching two-in-five (38%) say they’ve been feeling anxious in recent weeks.”
Women (76 per cent) are more likely than men (61 per cent) to seek help, the polling determined.
As for how Canadians are being helped, 62 per cent of Canadians (who report seeking help in the past year) have received counselling, 44 per cent therapy and 44 per cent prescription drugs; and on an extreme level, five per cent have entered an in-patient program and four per cent went to emergency care.
Angus Reid presented the following disclosure to its poll: "The Angus Reid Institute in partnership with Cardus conducted an online survey from Sept. 19-22, 2023 among a representative randomized sample of 1,872 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20."
