Developing an index of adolescent deprivation for use in British Columbia, Canada.

A population-level adolescent health survey has been a reliable source of information about the health and well-being of 12-19-year-olds in Western Canada since its introduction in 1992. However, the survey has never accurately measured child poverty, partially due to the complex social and geographical make-up of the region. The current study sought to adapt a model for developing a child-centric index of material deprivation which had been successfully used in the UK.

Challenging the Stereotypes: Unexpected Features of Sexual Exploitation among Homeless and Street-Involved Boys in Western Canada.

Research about the sexual exploitation of homeless and street-involved boys is limited and often combined with that of girls. As aggregation can distort unique issues among genders which are exploited, this study provides information about the context of exploitation for homeless boys. Boys participated in the anonymous, multi-city British Columbia (BC), Canada Homeless and Street-Involved Youth Health paper surveys of 2006 and 2014.

A collective impact approach to supporting youth transitioning out of government care.

Background: The issues faced by young people transitioning out of government care are complex, and improving outcomes requires the collaboration of multiple stakeholders (Lopez & Allen, 2007).

Objective, Participants, And Setting: In Vancouver, Western Canada, 60 agencies and 20 youth from government care are working in partnership using a collective impact approach to address the systemic issues and barriers to healthy development that youth from care experience. Collective impact is an approach to tackling complex social problems which requires collaboration across government, business, funders, charitable organizations, and community members to achieve significant and lasting social change (Hanleybrown et al.

Health and Healthcare Service Use: The Experiences of Runaway Trans Adolescents Compared to their Peers.

This study is the first trans-inclusive exploration of the relation between running away from home, health, and access to healthcare and supportive figures as a function of gender among adolescents. Secondary data analysis of the 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey found that trans adolescents were 4.25 times as likely as males, and 3.

Health-Risk Behaviors and Protective Factors Among Adolescents in Rural British Columbia.

Purpose: This study explores the relationship between rural residency, selected protective factors (family and school connectedness along with prosocial peer attitudes), and health-compromising behaviors (alcohol and tobacco use and nonuse of seatbelt) among adolescents.

Methods: A subsample of adolescents residing in remote areas was extracted from a province-wide, school-based survey in British Columbia (BC), Canada (weighted N = 2,999). We employed χ statistic to test rural-urban differences separately by gender.

Are we leveling the playing field? Trends and disparities in sports participation among sexual minority youth in Canada.

Purpose: Sports participation and physical fitness are widely beneficial for young people, yet activity levels among young people are declining. Despite growing popular media attention on the participation of sexual minority (e.g.

Ten-Year Trends in Physical Dating Violence Victimization Among Adolescent Boys and Girls in British Columbia, Canada.

Physical dating violence (PDV) victimization among adolescents is a serious global problem. Although knowledge of trends in PDV victimization can help guide programming and health policies, little research has examined whether the prevalence of PDV victimization has increased, decreased, or remained stable over time among non-U.S.

Psychometric Evaluation of the 6-item Version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure with East Asian Adolescents in Canada.

We examined the psychometric properties of scores on a 6-item version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) among East Asian adolescents in Canada. A series of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted for 4,190 East Asians who completed a provincial survey of students in grades 7 to 12. The MEIM measured highly correlated dimensions of ethnic identity ( and ).

Sexual Health and Risk Behaviour among East Asian Adolescents in British Columbia.

Despite the large number of adolescents of East Asian origin in Canada, there is limited research on sexual health among this population. A first step to develop strategies for sexual health promotion for adolescents is to document the prevalence of sexual behaviours. This study thus estimated the prevalence of sexual health and risk behaviours among East Asian adolescents in grades 7 to 12, using the province-wide, school-based 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey (unweighted N = 4,311).

Age of Sexual Consent Law in Canada: Population-Based Evidence for Law and Policy.

This study evaluated the implications of the 2008 increase in age for sexual consent in Canada using a population health survey of Canadian adolescents. Government rationales for the increase asserted younger adolescents were more likely to experience sexual exploitation and engage in risky sexual behaviour than adolescents 16 and older. Using data from sexually experienced adolescents in the 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey (BC AHS, N=6,262; age range 12 - 19; 52% female), analyses documented the scope of first intercourse partners who were not within the 'close in age' exemptions, then compared sexual behaviours of younger teens (14 and 15 years) with older teens (16 and 17) navigating their first year of sexual activity.

Surveying adolescents: Focusing on positive development.

Although risk behaviours can threaten healthy youth development, reducing risks alone is not sufficient to help youth successfully negotiate adolescence. Promoting protective factors that buffer risk, such as family and school connectedness, community engagement and positive peer support, are also important for helping youth to thrive. Since 1992, the Adolescent Health Surveys conducted by McCreary Centre Society (Vancouver, British Columbia) have monitored both risk behaviours and protective factors among high school students across British Columbia.

Out yonder: sexual-minority adolescents in rural communities in British Columbia.

Objectives: We compared sexual-minority adolescents living in rural communities with their peers in urban areas in British Columbia, exploring differences in emotional health, victimization experiences, sexual behaviors, and substance use.

Methods: We analyzed a population-based sample of self-identified lesbian, gay, or bisexual respondents from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey of 2003 (weighted n=6905). We tested rural-urban differences separately by gender with the chi2 test and logistic regressions.

Trends in sexual health and risk behaviours among adolescent students in British Columbia.

Regular monitoring of trends in sexual health and sexual behaviours among adolescents provides strong evidence to guide intervention programs and health policies. Using the province-wide, school-based British Columbia (BC) Adolescent Health Surveys of 1992, 1998, and 2003, this study documented the trends in sexual health and risk behaviours among adolescents in grades 7 to 12 in BC, and explored the associations between sexual behaviours and key risk and protective factors. From 1992 to 2003, the percentage of youth who had ever had sexual intercourse decreased for both males (33.

Hazards of stigma: the sexual and physical abuse of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents in the United States and Canada.

Some studies suggest lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) teens are at higher risk than peers for violence at home, in school, and in the community. That can bring them into the child welfare system or services for runaway and homeless teens. This study compared self-reported experiences of sexual and physical abuse based on sexual orientation and gender in seven population-based surveys of youth.

Youth health in Canada.

Youth Health in Canada is at a favorable level and adolescents have access to a reasonable standard of health care services. The framework is evolving in response to changing concepts and to the participation of youth themselves. The role of the academic and research leadership in Canada is described.