Albertans Want Improved Access to Psychologists

Albertans Want Improved Access to Psychologists

January 2021 – Psychological health matters to individual quality of life, provincial health, & our economy. Invest with a significant impact – invest in Albertans psychological health.

“Albertans know what they want – access mental health & addiction treatment by qualified providers. The psychological health & wellness of Albertans can be substantively improved by increasing access to registered psychologists,” said Dr Judi Malone, CEO of PAA.

Albertans have confidence in psychologists. 29% of Albertans report they have the most confidence in psychologists for help with mental health problems, followed by family doctors (20%), & psychiatrists (17%). So then, what do Albertans & Canadians say about access?

 Albertans Barriers to Accessing Care from a Psychologist

• 80% report they cannot afford to pay for psychological services themselves
• 69% say it’s because psychologists aren’t covered by the AHCIP
• 43% report unreasonable wait times psychologists in the public health system
• 65% say it’s because psychologists aren’t covered by their employee benefit plan
• 62% say wait times to see a psychologist are too long
• 43% say that they prefer to deal with these problems on their own

Improving Access to Care

• 86% of Albertans (88% of Canadians) support or somewhat support improving access to psychologists through the publicly funded health care system.
• 84% of Albertans (83% nationally) say psychologists working collaboratively with other health professionals, such as family physicians, is a very good idea or a good idea
• 77% of Albertans (76% of Canadians) think that better access (more funded psychological access) through their employer health benefit plan is a very good or good idea

The majority of Albertans (& Canadians) perceive psychologists as being effective in helping people with psychological problems & in diagnosing people with psychological problems & addiction. Read the Servey results in detail HERE 

Contact:
Dr Judi L Malone, R. Psych (AB)
CEO, Psychologists Association of Alberta
(780) 424.0294
judim@paa-ab.ca

The mission of the PAA is to advance the science-based profession of psychology & to promote the well-being & potential of all Albertans

About this Survey — Nanos Research conducted a representative online survey of 3,070 Canadians (207 Albertans) 25 September – 2 October 2020 a sample which was also geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.  The research was commissioned by CPA & CPAP & was conducted by Nanos Research. CPAP promotes collaboration & resource sharing among provincial, territorial, & national psychological associations. CPA’ mission is advancing research, knowledge & the application of psychology in the service of society through advocacy, support & collaboration.

The first part of the study was published in November 2020 

Provincial results, in detail, are available at 2020 AB COVID-19 CPA CPAP Nanos Survey and national results, in detail, at www.cpa.ca.

You can read the November posting here 

National, provincial and territorial slides are now live, and can be found via the following links on the CPA website:

https://cpa.ca/strong-majority-of-canadians-want-improved-access-to-psychologists/

https://cpa.ca/fr/strong-majority-of-canadians-want-improved-access-to-psychologists/