The Walleye Magazine

Learning from the Pandemic

Mental Health and Food Insecurity During COVID-19

Story by Ivan Ho, Public Health Nutritionist, Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Photo by Kay Lee

For most of us, it’s safe to say that COVID-19 has overstayed its welcome. For the past year, we have experienced a shift in how we do things, and it has affected the daily lives of everyone in our community. This pandemic has undoubtedly caused a significant amount of stress for many, especially when it comes to those who are struggling to access food, and also those who experience mental health concerns.

Independent of COVID-19, research has shown that those experiencing household food insecurity (not enough money to purchase enough food) also experience poorer mental health. Statistics Canada has reported that those who experience food insecurity are nearly three times more likely to self-report fair or poor mental health, and to report moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. Since COVID-19, we have noticed a worsening in both of these areas.

Household food insecurity rates have increased from 10.5% (4.4 million) of Canadians, up to 14.6% (6.1 million) as of May 2020. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we can predict that these rates have further gone up. Research done on mental health during COVID-19 has shown that 57% of Ontarians feel lonelier than they did pre-pandemic. Reports have also indicated higher rates of feelings of despair, and substance use has also increased as a means of coping. So what do we do?

With rates of food insecurity and poorer mental health rising, we should first focus on addressing the immediate needs of our community. This includes being aware, providing support, and reaching out to those in need. The next step is to consider resilience planning. This means learning from what has happened with COVID19 and creating a plan so that, as a community, we are better prepared for future emergencies. For example, the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy has brought together different community organizations across the city to discuss, plan, and prepare for any future situations that will necessitate emergency access to food. One major benefit of this is there has been an increase in community collaboration and relationship building, which opens up more opportunities for building a resilient and healthy community.

The longer-term solutions will really require taking a step back and shifting our focus towards addressing root causes. For household food insecurity, this means investing in appropriate income solutions to reduce poverty. These solutions may include—but are not limited to—basic income, livable wages, and affordable housing. Improving mental health outcomes means supporting community-level mental health initiatives that focus on inclusion and social well-being— for example, supporting vulnerable neighborhoods with community development programs and services for children and youth.

The reality is that COVID-19 has disrupted our daily lives at least to some degree. However, there are also opportunities that we can gain from this experience that can improve our community for the better—especially when it comes to food insecurity and mental health. If you or anyone else is in need of support for accessing food, please visit tbdhu.com/food. If you or anyone else is in need of mental health support, please visit tbdhu.com/ health-topics/mental-health.

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2021-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thewalleye.pressreader.com/article/284249533234537

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