Prevalence and Correlates of Depressive Symptoms in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on 144 Studies Including 406,043 Participants: Prévalence et corrélats des symptômes dépressifs au Canada pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 : revue systématique et méta-analyse de 144 études comprenant 406 043 participants
Systematic review and meta-analysis reveals high rates of depressive symptoms in Canadian populations, highlighting the critical need for coordinated national mental health interventions.
Key Points
To determine the pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate sources of demographic, geographic, and methodological variability.
Conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of 144 studies comprising 406,043 participants across 5 electronic databases following a PROSPERO protocol (CRD42024552536).
Assessed methodological quality using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) appraisal checklists and analyzed variability using subgroup analyses and meta-regressions.
The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic was 31.1% (95% CI, 28.4%–33.9%) with high heterogeneity (I² = 99.71).
Prevalence of depressive symptoms was significantly higher among women (29.2% [95% CI, 25.8%–32.7%]) than men (21.1% [95% CI, 18.5%–23.8%]; p = .0003).
Prevalence varied significantly across provinces (p = .0001), measurement tools (p < .0001), evaluation periods (p = .017), and study designs (p = .041), with no evidence of publication bias (Egger's test: z = 1.05, p = .295).