Posttraumatic stress disorder's impact on Canada's workforce :

Background

In Canada, around 64% of adults have experienced at least one potentially psychologically traumatic event (PPTE)^{Footnote 1}. PPTE's include death, perceived or threatened death, and sexual violence. Sometimes, people who experience a PPTE will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a mental health condition marked by: ^{Footnote 2}

• recurring memories of the event
• avoiding any reminders of the event
• having negative changes in thoughts or mood
• having heightened awareness or strong reactions (psychological arousal or reactivity)

The effects of PTSD can be long-lasting. They impact individuals and their families, caregivers, and workplaces. Anyone may be at risk of developing PTSD. However, people in certain jobs are at increased risk for PTSD and other mental health conditions^{Footnote 3Footnote 4Footnote 5}. This is because of repeated (and often routine) exposure to dangerous or life-threatening events. Examples of high-risk jobs include:

• first responders and other public safety personnel such as:
  • correctional workers
  • firefighters
  • paramedics
  • police
  • public safety communicators
• military personnel
• healthcare professionals such as:
  • nurses
  • doctors

There is growing awareness of PTSD. Because of this, the Federal Framework on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Act (Bill C-211) was enacted in 2018. The Federal Framework on PTSD (the framework) was later published in February 2020. A key priority of the framework was to improve the tracking of PTSD and its economic and social costs. The framework has a special focus on job-related PTSD^{Footnote 6}. National surveys were developed to estimate the prevalence of PTSD in Canada. One initiative is the Survey on Mental Health and Stressful Events. This national survey shows 6.1% of Canadian adults have a diagnosis of PTSD from a health professional. Prevalence is higher among women than men. Prevalence is lowest among those 65 and older^{Footnote 1}.

In this interactive report, we explore data from lost time claims. A lost time claim is defined as an injury where a worker is compensated for wage loss due to a work-related injury (or exposure to a harmful substance), or receives compensation for a permanent disability regardless of whether time was lost on the job^{Footnote 7}. Data come from the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC).

Lost time claims in Canada between 2012 and 2022

Between 2012 and 2022, 2,867,482 lost time claims were accepted in Canada. Most of these claims involved male workers. There was a shift in 2022 when more than half of the 348,747 accepted claims involved female workers.

PTSD represents nearly half of lost time claims for mental illness

Among accepted lost time claims, the percentage of claims due to mental illness has increased over the past 10 years. In 2012, 1.0% of all lost time claims were due to mental illness. By 2022, this had more than doubled to 2.1%.

Among claims related to mental illness, PTSD is the category with the most claims. In 2012, there were 1,207 claims due to PTSD. This is 50% of all mental illness-related claims. By 2022, the number of PTSD claims had increased to 3,291. This is 45% of all mental illness-related claims.

Demographics most represented in PTSD lost time claims

The rate of claims due to PTSD has increased over the past 10 years for both females and males. Claims have also increased across all age groups. In 2022:

• The highest number of claims came from males in the 45 to 54 age group, with 536 claims. This represented 16.5% of all PTSD claims.
• Among females, the highest number of claims were in the 25 to 34 age group, with 418 claims. This represented roughly 13% of all PTSD claims.
• The fewest PTSD claims were from the 15 to 24 and 65 and above age groups. This is likely because fewer people in these age groups are in the workforce.

Occupations most represented in PTSD lost time claims

An occupation group is a category of similar jobs. The AWCBC collects information across 20 industries and 10 occupation groups. In 2022, these occupation groups accounted for almost 80% of all PTSD-related claims:

• education, law and social, community and government services: 39.0%
• health occupations: 23.9%
• trades, transport and equipment operators, and related occupations: 15.9%

Support for PTSD is available

PTSD can significantly impact an individual's ability to perform their job. As presented in this report, PTSD represents nearly half of all mental illness-related lost time claims in the workforce. Many workplaces have established employee assistance programs to support employees with personal or work-related issues that may affect their job performance, mental and physical health, and overall well-being. If you or someone close to you is experiencing symptoms of PTSD or experienced a PPTE, it is important to talk to a health care provider or mental health professional and explore available support services.