Mental health and addiction concerns in northern Ontario: A cross-sectional study of sociodemographic predictors, access barriers, and service needs

Access to mental health and/or addiction (MHA) services is limited in rural and remote regions, especially in geographically diverse areas such as Ontario, Canada. Moreover, available services may not be able to address the unique needs of those seeking support. To effectively address local MHA service needs, it is necessary to understand predictors of MHA concerns and the experiences of those accessing care in rural areas such as northern Ontario. The current study focused on individuals living in northern Ontario and aimed to 1. Identify sociodemographic factors that predict their MHA concerns; 2. Identify common barriers experienced by those seeking MHA services; and 3. Explore their MHA support needs. Survey data were collected online from 500 northern Ontario residents (aged 18+) between January and March 2022. Univariate statistics were used to describe MHA service access, barriers, and needs, and adjusted multiple logistic regression was conducted to assess predictors of MHA concerns. Younger age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.972), low socioeconomic status (middle: OR = 0.491; high: OR = 0.436), identifying as non-straight/non-heterosexual (straight/heterosexual: OR = 0.336), identifying as married (unmarried: OR = 0.507), and dissatisfaction with social support (OR = 6.410) were significant predictors of MHA concerns. Although most (76.8%) of the sample reported MHA concerns, less than a quarter of the sample accessed support. Most frequently accessed services tended to be less specialized, and most frequently reported access barriers were mainly systemic. The current study describes predictors of MHA concern as well as the unique MHA-service-related experiences and needs of northern Ontario residents. These findings may be considered in efforts to develop MHA tools and supports that align with local needs.