Evaluating the mental health status, help-seeking behaviors, and coping strategies of Canadian essential workers versus non-essential workers during COVID-19: a longitudinal study.

Objective: This study examined mental health symptoms, help-seeking, and coping differences between Canadian essential workers (EWs) versus non-EWs, as well as common COVID-related concerns and longitudinal predictors of mental health symptoms among EWs only.

Design: An online, longitudinal survey (= 1260; response rate (RR) =  78.5%) assessing mental health and psychosocial domains amongst Canadian adults was administered during the first wave of COVID-19 with a six-month follow-up (= 821; RR = 53.7%).

Methods: Cross tabulations and chi-square analyses examined sociodemographic, mental health, and coping differences between EWs and non-EWs. Frequencies evaluated common COVID-related concerns. Linear regression analyses examined associations between baseline measures with mental health symptoms six months later amongst EWs.

Results: EWs reported fewer mental health symptoms and avoidance coping than non-EWs, and were most concerned with transmitting COVID-19. Both groups reported similar patterns of help-seeking. Longitudinal correlates of anxiety and perceived stress symptoms among EWs included age, marital status, household income, accessing a psychologist, avoidant coping, and higher COVID-19-related distress.

Conclusions: COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on the mental health of Canadian EWs. This research identifies which EWs are at greater risk of developing mental disorders, and may further guide the development of pandemic-related interventions for these workers.