A new report has revealed a concerning decline in the overall health of Canadian adults over the past decade, driven largely by worsening emotional well-being and an increase in reported pain.
According to Statistics Canada’s latest functional health assessment, fewer Canadians under the age of 75 now describe their health as “very good” or “perfect” compared to previous years. The report, which evaluates physical, mental, and cognitive abilities necessary for daily life, shows a noticeable drop in health-related quality of life between 2015 and 2024 across all provinces.
In 2015, approximately 68.6 percent of Canadian adults reported being in very good to excellent functional health. By 2024, that figure had fallen significantly to 56.4 percent. This marks a sharp reversal from earlier trends, where health levels remained stable or even improved between 1994 and 2015.
Interestingly, the decline has not affected all age groups equally. While Canadians aged 75 and older have maintained relatively stable health levels, younger adults have experienced a substantial drop. The most pronounced decline was observed among those aged 18 to 34, where the proportion reporting top health status fell from just over 73 percent in 2015 to around 60 percent in 2024. A similar trend was seen among individuals aged 35 to 49.
A key factor behind this shift is deteriorating emotional health. The report highlights that emotional well-being has declined more sharply than any other health attribute. In 2015, about 78.3 percent of Canadians reported excellent emotional health, but this dropped to 61.2 percent by 2024, with young adults being the most affected group.
Gender differences also emerged in the findings. While women reported slightly better emotional health than men, their overall functional health was lower. This disparity is largely attributed to higher levels of physical pain reported by women. Across all age groups, females were more likely to experience pain or discomfort compared to males.
Pain itself has become more widespread among Canadians. The percentage of adults reporting no pain or discomfort decreased from 77.9 percent in 2015 to 72 percent in 2024. Older adults and women were particularly affected by this trend.
The report also points to regional disparities. Every province recorded a decline in functional health over the nine-year period. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ranked lowest, with fewer than half of residents reporting very good or perfect health. On the other hand, Quebec performed best, with 65.6 percent of its population reporting high functional health.
Other provinces fell somewhere in between, with Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador all showing moderate levels but still reflecting the overall downward trend.
The findings are based on data from the Canadian Community Health Survey conducted in 2015, 2019, and 2024. The survey assessed eight key aspects of functional health, including vision, hearing, mobility, cognition, emotional well-being, and pain.
Overall, the report signals a growing public health concern, particularly among younger Canadians, and underscores the need for greater attention to mental health and chronic pain management in the years ahead.
