Prevalence and Correlates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Prévalence et corrélats des symptômes du trouble de stress post-traumatique pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 au Canada : Revue systématique et méta-analyse.
Jude Mary Cénat, Wina Paul Darius, Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis pooled findings from 30 studies conducted in Canada between 2020 and 2022, including 52,565 adults. The estimated prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic was 22.2% (95% CI, 15.7% to 29.4%; I² = 99.69). Estimates were 32.1% in women and 26.1% in men, with no significant difference by sex. Prevalence also varied across provinces, while meta-regression found lower prevalence in Quebec. The authors caution that substantial between-study heterogeneity limits interpretation.
Key findings
- Pooled PTSD symptom prevalence was 22.2% (95% CI, 15.7% to 29.4%; I² = 99.69).
- Prevalence estimates were 32.1% in women and 26.1% in men (p = 0.399).
- Provincial estimates ranged from 16.1% in Quebec to 29.7% in Ontario (p = 0.091); meta-regression found lower prevalence in Quebec (B=-0.16, p = 0.029).
- No significant differences were found by healthcare worker status, assessment tool, or data collection year.
Why it matters
The pooled estimate indicates that PTSD symptoms were common across Canadian adults during the pandemic, while the absence of significant differences by sex or healthcare worker status suggests distress was not confined to those groups. However, the very high heterogeneity means the pooled figure should not be treated as a uniform estimate for every population or setting.
What to keep in mind
Substantial heterogeneity across studies (I² = 99.69) limits interpretation of the pooled prevalence and comparisons between groups or provinces.