North Vancouver Island Results of the 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey

BC Adolescent Health Survey: North Vancouver Island Results ▪Background ▪Positive findings and trends ▪Areas of concern ▪Protective factors ▪Using the data

Administration 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey ▪29,832 surveys completed ▪1,645 classrooms ▪56 school districts ▪325 PHNs and nursing students North Vancouver Island

Youth in North Vancouver Island ▪68% of students reported European heritage ▪7% of students born outside of Canada ▪Less likely to identify as straight

Home life ▪93% of students lived with at least one parent ▪4% had ever lived in foster home, 1% had ever lived in group home ▪11% ran away from home in past year ▪25% moved from one home to another

Young carers

Health conditions and disabilities ▪1 in 3 females and 1 in 4 males had at least one health condition or disability ▪Females were more than twice as likely as males to report a mental or emotional health condition ▪For many the condition was debilitating

Working Note: Not all age differences were statistically significant.

Technology ▪85% of males and 93% of females had a cellphone ▪Cellphone use was linked to: –Asking friends or family for help in past year, and having an adult outside of their family to turn to ▪Students without a cellphone: –Less likely to have considered suicide in past year

Positive Findings and Trends

Most youth had seen a dentist in the past year 8% of students missed out on needed medical care

▪Most youth ate fruit and vegetables ▪Local students were more likely to have eaten food grown or caught by them or their family ▪92% of youth never went to bed hungry Nutrition

Risky sexual behaviour decreased 27% had ever had sex Among those:  Decrease in % of females who used drugs or alcohol last time they had sex  Decrease in % of youth first having sex before age 15  67% of students used condom last time they had sex

29% had ever tried smoking Among those: ▪46% were 15 years old when they first tried tobacco ▪Males more likely to use cigars and chewing tobacco ▪50% were recent smokers (smoked in past month) Fewer youth exposed to second-hand smoke daily Fewer females tried tobacco

Fewer youth tried alcohol 52% had ever tried alcohol Among those: ▪Youth waited longer to try alcohol ▪Decrease in having five or more drinks in a short time from % of all students drank last Saturday

Marijuana use 37% had ever tried marijuana Among those: ▪Decrease in % who used both alcohol and marijuana last Saturday ▪56% had used it in the past month 13% of all students used last Saturday

Use of other substances2013 Change since 2008 Prescription pills without a doctor’s consent 12% Mushrooms9% Ecstasy6% Hallucinogens6% Cocaine4% Inhalants3% Ketamine, GHB2% Amphetamines1% Steroids without a doctor’s consent 1% Heroin1% Crystal meth1% N/A

Injuries and injury prevention ▪Most youth wore a seat belt ▪31% of youth were seriously injured in past year ▪Decrease in injury rates among males from 2008

School safety increased

Note: NA means that the question was not asked. -- The percentages in 2008 and 2013 were comparable. Students whose friends would be upset with them if they Change since 2008 Dropped out of school85%86% -- Were involved in gang activity NA81% Got pregnant or got someone pregnant 74%78% -- Got arrested62%72% Beat someone up49%63% Used marijuana46%45% -- Got drunk27%35% Friends with pro-social attitudes

Overweight and obesity rates Healthy weight: 81% of females vs. 68% of males Overweight: 23% of males vs. 11% of females

Areas of ConcernAreas of Concern

19% of youth experienced a concussion in past year Concussions

Ratings of mental health

Other mental health concerns Most commonly reported conditions MalesFemales Depression 7%14% Anxiety Disorder/ Panic Attacks 5%13% Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 8%

Foregone mental health care ▪15% of females and 7% of males did not access needed mental health services ▪Most common reason was not wanting parents to know ▪Males more likely than females to miss out on services because they didn’t know where to go

Suicide

Getting enough sleep

Mental health and sleep * The percentage should be interpreted with caution as the standard error was relatively high but still within a releasable range.

Bullying ▪Females more likely than males to have experienced: –Teasing –Exclusion –Cyberbullying –(Males more likely to have experienced assault) ▪Rates of teasing increased from 2008 ▪Differences for local males vs. those across BC

Perpetrators of bullying

Discrimination & violence ▪Females more likely to be discriminated against because of: –physical appearance, –age and gender ▪Males more likely to be discriminated against because of race, ethnicity or skin colour ▪Rate of dating violence did not improve

Abuse & harassment

Body image ▪Among healthy weight females: –19% thought they were overweight –46% were trying to lose weight ▪25% of healthy weight males were trying to gain weight

Exercise participation ▪17% of students aged met their daily activity guidelines ▪65%* of students aged 18 or older reached their daily activity guidelines ▪Decrease in participation in informal sports, organized sports, and dance or exercise classes

BarrierMalesFemales Too busy35%48% Activity wasn’t available in community 16%20% Couldn’t get there or home14%20% Couldn’t afford to participate14%19% Worried about being bullied5%7% Barriers to participation

Protective FactorsProtective Factors

School connectedness Positive family relationships Caring adults outside the family Someone to turn to for help Established Protective Factors

Peer relationships Good nutrition Feeling engaged and valued Stable home Established Protective Factors

Eight or more hours of sleep Neighbourhood safety Community connectedness Cultural connectedness Protective Factors

Youth are generally making less risky choices about their health Mental health among females and bullying are among the areas of concern Promoting protective factors have and can continue to play a key role in improving outcomes for BC youth

56 school district data tables 16 HSDA reports Growing Up in BC Sexual health report Youth resources Using the data

Next Steps ▪Youth-led projects or initiatives In Our Shoes ▪Bullying awareness video ▪

Grants up to $500 for youth-led projects

Discussing the results ▪Commentary on the AHS findings from: –Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Representative for Children and Youth –Bob Lenarduzzi, President, Vancouver Whitecaps –And more! ▪Video on McCreary’s YouTube channelVideo on McCreary’s YouTube channel

North Vancouver Island Results of the 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey @mccrearycentre