Since 2005, the proportion of workers affected by depression has ranged from 5% to 7%. However, the proportion of workers with depression is higher among younger workers.

Definition: Depression is measured with Kessler and Mroczek’s instrument (World Health Organization, 1990) Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form (CIDI-SF) that produces psychiatric diagnoses of major depression. In 1994, a review of CIDI-SF was done by Andrews and Kessler to better meet the requirements of the DSM-IV criteria. A cutoff point of 5 and + has been applied.

References: Kessler R., Andrews G., Mroczek D., Ustun B. & Wittchen H.-U. (1998). The World Health Composite Organization International Short-Form Interview Diagnosis (CIDI-SF). International Journal of Methods in Psychiatry Research, 7: 171-185. 

Sources: CCHS cycles 3.1 (2005) and 2007-2008 to 2013-2014 annual components of Statistics Canada’s public use microdata files (PUMFs).