Introduction: This study provides the first overview of the perceived general and mental health, activity limitations, work-related restrictions and level of disability, as well as factors associated with disability severity, among Canadian adults with mood and/or anxiety disorders, using a population-based household sample.

Methods: We used data from the 2014 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada–Mood and Anxiety Disorders Component. The sample consists of Canadians aged 18 years and older with self-reported mood and/or anxiety disorders from the 10 provinces (n = 3361; response rate 68.9%). We conducted descriptive and multinomial multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: Among Canadian adults with mood and/or anxiety disorders, over one-quarter reported “fair/poor” general (25.3%) and mental (26.1%) health; more than one-third (36.4%) reported one or more activity limitations; half (50.3%) stated a job modification was required to continue working; and more than one-third (36.5%) had severe disability. Those with concurrent mood and anxiety disorders reported poorer outcomes: 56.4% had one or more activity limitations; 65.8% required a job modification and 49.6% were severely disabled. Upon adjusting for individual characteristics, those with mood and/or anxiety disorders who were older, who had a household income in the lowest or lower-middle adequacy quintile or who had concurrent disorders were more likely to have severe disability.

Conclusion: Findings from this study affirm that mood and/or anxiety disorders, especially concurrent disorders, are associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes. Results support the role of public health policy and programs aimed at improving the lives of people living with these disorders, in particular those with concurrent disorders.