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CADTH » Priorities » Mental Health

Mental Health

Mental health is a critical component to the overall well-being of Canadians, in addition to representing significant specific medical and social challenges for Canadians.

The study of mental health includes disorders and illnesses that cause changes in cognitive, emotional, or behavioural function, such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, addictions, and eating disorders. Mental illness affects people of all ages, cultures, and educational and income levels. Health Canada reports that approximately 20% of Canadians will directly experience mental illness in their lifetime — it will indirectly touch everyone.

Mental illnesses are a large contributor to hospitalizations, disability, and loss of productivity. Mental illness also presents unique challenges due to limited patient access to care and continuing social stigma. Lack of social awareness and acceptance creates a barrier for patients who need appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Why this theme area?

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has selected mental health as a priority theme area for a number of reasons:

  • Controversy remains over various therapies (especially for severe mental illness).
  • There is an ongoing need for critical review of the clinical benefit and harms of current technologies and those in development.
  • Health Canada estimates that the economic cost of mental illnesses for the Canadian health care system was at least $7.9 billion in 1998.
  • Several jurisdictions and agencies have clearly indicated that they require assistance from CADTH in informing their decisions regarding mental health and mental illness.

CADTH research

CADTH has completed many reports on mental health, including rapid assessments, health technology assessments, and drug reviews. There has been strong interest in these reports from across Canada.

CADTH is currently working on combination and high-dose use of atypical antipsychotics in inadequately controlled patients with schizophrenia, and continues to receive requests for rapid responses and drug reviews relating to mental health. A number of new drugs are on the horizon for schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder, and jurisdictions have identified that first-line therapy for depression, long- and short-acting agents for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and medications for other dementias are also of particular interest.

CADTH’s work has the potential to significantly impact key decision-makers in areas of mental illness. Therefore, CADTH has established relationships with national organizations working in mental health and mental illness and will continue to build linkages and partnerships with additional key stakeholders.

The CADTH priority themes reflect the needs of Canada’s health care system. CADTH is focusing on developing products and services to support health care decision-makers within the priority themes.