Subjects: PDT, WOM, CSR, AVO
CAMH and Shoppers Drug Mart launch online mental health tool kit for women
TORONTO, May 28, 2018 /CNW/ - Today the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Shoppers Drug Mart, through its giving program, SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU., announced the formal launch of an online interactive mental health resource tool. The Mental Health Self Check gives Canadian women an easy, accessible way to conduct an assessment of their mental health.
"Research shows gender is a critical determinant of mental healthi, and women are twice as likely as men to develop depression or anxiety at some point in their lives,"ii says Dr. Branka Agic, Project Lead and Director of Knowledge Exchange in the Provincial System Support Program at CAMH. "Our team undertook a rigorous process to identify and provide an interactive mental health self check that allows Canadian women to quickly understand ways they can strengthen their mental health and make it a top priority."
Annually, mental illness affects one in five Canadiansiii and is the leading cause of disability around the world.iv However, women face unique stresses and challenges that can have a negative impact on their mental health and can change at different stages in life.v Compared to men, women are more likely to hold multiple jobs, be a single parent, experience family violence and live on a low income.vi
Adapted for online use for the first time, the Mental Health Self Check is an interactive questionnaire that measures three components of well-being: emotional, social, and psychological. The results will give you an indication of the state of your current mental health.
"We are proud to have partnered with CAMH on the launch of a resource to help Canadian women better understand how they're feeling and functioning in their everyday life," says Jeff Leger, President, Shoppers Drug Mart. "Our organization has a long-standing commitment to advancing women's health through our SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. program. We hope that this tool will encourage women to check in on their mental health and ensure they're living a healthy and balanced lifestyle."
The free Mental Health Self Check takes less than 15 minutes to complete and all information is anonymous. Respondents can complete the questionnaire as many times as they like to see how their self-reported mental health changes over time.
Users can download their results as a PDF and the tool also includes practical and attainable tips to help maintain or improve mental health. A growing body of research has found that being active ? such as stretching, swimming or jogging - can help promote your mental health and reduce the risk of developing depression or anxiety.vii
"We all know someone who's been affected by anxiety or depression, and if you're like me, that includes members of your own family" says Lanni Marchant, Canadian marathon record holder and Olympian. "As a professional athlete, exercise has helped me improve my mood and manage those times where I feel stressed and anxious. I've tried the Mental Health Self Check. My hope is it will empower women from coast-to-coast to take the first step in their wellness journey and promote the importance of talking openly about mental health."
Funding for this project was provided to CAMH through the SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. program, which supports leading women's health organizations across the country. The launch of the tool coincides with the SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women, Canada's first and only women's and girls' running race series benefiting women's health initiatives. This year, races are taking place in 17 cities across Canada, with the Toronto run taking place on Saturday, June 9.
To try the Mental Health Self-Check tool or share it with a friend, visit http://www.shoppersloveyou.ca/
Or, to register for your local SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women, go to http://www.runforwomen.ca/
About SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU.
SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. is the identity for Shoppers Drug Mart's long-standing commitment to women's health. To help women live their best lives, the SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. program is designed to help women stay focused on making their own health a priority by connecting them to the expertise of our partners at leading women's health organizations and to others in support of women's health initiatives across Canada. Learn more at www.shoppersloveyou.ca.
About SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women
The SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women is Canada's first and only women's and girls' running race series, benefitting women's mental health initiatives across the country. This year, races are taking place in 17 cities across Canada.
The SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women has raised over $3.4 million dollars for local mental health services. Every dollar raised supports mothers, daughters, and friends through the funding of programs that allow women to take that next step to recovery. Learn more at www.runforwomen.ca.
About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addictions. Visit CAMH online to find out more on the services and resources we provide.
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i Public Health Agency of Canada. (2012). The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2012: Influencing Health ? The Importance of Sex and Gender. http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/aspc-phac/HP2-10-2012-eng.pdf.
ii Women's Health Matters ? Women's College Hospital. Depression in Women. http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/health-centres/mental-health/depression/depression-in-women/.
iii Mental Health Commission of Canada. Mental Health Matters. https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/focus-areas/mental-health-matters.
iv World Health Organization. (2018). Depression ? Key Facts. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression.
v Government of Canada. (2015). Protective and risk factors for mental health. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/protective-risk-factors-mental-health.html#a1.
vi Statistics Canada. (2011). Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-503-x/89-503-x2010001-eng.pdf.
vii The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. (2016). Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4994794/.
SOURCE Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation
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