McCreary Centre Society Adolescent Health Survey III: 2003 results in preparation for 2008 AHS IV A Brief Summary of Results for The Central Vancouver Island Region

McCreary Centre Society The Purpose of Regional Reports  To recognize health promotion and prevention efforts that are working well  To identify issues on which more effort is needed to improve youth health

McCreary Centre Society Central Vancouver Island Region  Located in the Upper Island Geographic Area (used for identifying trends)  Includes school districts: # 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith # 69 Qualicum # 70 Alberni # 79 Cowichan Valley  All of these school districted participated in the survey

McCreary Centre Society Central Vancouver Island Regional Map

McCreary Centre Society What’s Improved: Trends for Upper Island Geographic Area Trying alcohol  Current smokers  Sexual activity  Having sex before age 14  Injuries  Drinking & driving  Girls with a history of physical abuse  Involved in 1+ physical fights  Condom Use  Birth control pill 

McCreary Centre Society What Needs Improvement: Trends for Upper Island Geographic Area Feeling safe at school  Self-reported health status of “Excellent”  Always use a seatbelt  Frequent marijuana use  Overweight  Racial discrimination 

McCreary Centre Society Family Background  76% of youth are European  9% Aboriginal  26% of Aboriginal students said they have ever lived on a reserve  94% of students were born in Canada

McCreary Centre Society Physical Health Status  Most students in this region (88%) report excellent or good health  More boys than girls feel they have excellent or good health (90% vs. 85%)  12% of students in this region have a chronic health condition or disability that limits their activity

McCreary Centre Society  43% of girls and 62% of boys are satisfied with their appearance  25% of boys and 13% of girls are overweight (based on BMI from height and weight given on survey)  76% of boys and 68% of girls exercise 3 or more days a week  Level of exercise decreases with age Physical Health: Appearance, Weight & Exercise

Hours Spent in Front of a Screen on School Day

McCreary Centre Society  49% of students in this region always eat breakfast on school days  Younger youth are more likely to eat breakfast daily  Boys are more likely than girls to eat breakfast on a school day (55% vs. 43%) Nutrition

Nutrition: Eat Breakfast on School Day by Grade

McCreary Centre Society Injuries  In BC injuries have declined between 1998 and 2003  36% of youth in this region reported being injured seriously enough to require medical care  Most injuries occurred during a sports or recreational activity

Injury Prevention Behaviour by Gender

McCreary Centre Society Substance Use: Tobacco Non- Smoker Experimental Smoker Current Smoker Central Vancouver Island Region %20%7% BC %19%7% Upper Island Area %21%7% Upper Island Area %30%17%

McCreary Centre Society Central Vancouver Island has higher than provincial average rate of trying alcohol, and binge drinking Substance Use: Alcohol Central Vancouver 2003 BC Ever had a drink of alcohol64%57% Used alcohol 100+ days in life10% Binge drinking on 3+ days in past month 13%11%

McCreary Centre Society Substance Use: Ever Used Marijuana Central Vancouver Island % BC % Upper Island Area % Upper Island Area % Upper Island Area %

McCreary Centre Society Sexual Behaviour  Youth are waiting longer to have sex  26% of youth in Central Vancouver Island have ever had sexual intercourse (24% in BC)  19% of sexually active youth first had intercourse before age 14 (20% in BC)

Sexual Behaviour: Birth Control Used Last Time Having Sex

McCreary Centre Society Sexual Behaviour: Risk of STDs  70% of students in Central Vancouver Island that have had sex, used a condom last time had sex (BC average is 68%)  Sexually active students 17 years of age and older were the least likely to use a condom the last time they had sex  30% of sexually active students in this area reported 3 or more partners in their lifetime  6% of sexually active youth reported 3 or more partners in last 3 months

McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health  8% of youth in Central Vancouver Island reported serious emotional distress in the past month  Girls are more likely than boys (11% vs. 5%) to feel seriously distressed  14% report ever being physically abused  7% report ever being sexually abused

McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health: Suicide  Suicide thoughts and attempts among youth in BC have not declined over the past decade  15% of students in Central Vancouver Island said they had seriously considered suicide in the past year  11% had actually planned a suicide attempt  4% attempted suicide once in past year  Girls are more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (9% vs. 4%), though boys are more likely to die in an attempt

McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health: Discrimination  26% of youth in Central Vancouver Island said they had been discriminated against due to skin colour, sexual orientation or physical appearance in the past 12 months

Sexual Harassment in Past Year

Harassment, Exclusion, & Assault by Another Youth at School in Past Year

McCreary Centre Society Violence & Safety  28% of students say they were in a physical fight in the past year  Young people who feel safe have better physical and emotional health and are less likely to take risks

Help Seeking

McCreary Centre Society Violence & Safety  Internet safety is a growing concern  In Central Vancouver Island, 6% of boys and 23% of girls have encountered a stranger on the Internet who made them feel unsafe  9% of boys and 12 % of girls have run away in the past year  Running away is associated with a greatly increased likelihood of risky behaviours

McCreary Centre Society School  78% of students like school some or very much  Girls are more likely to have positive feelings about school  Dislike for school does not vary by grade  72% of students in Central Vancouver Island plan to continue their education into post-secondary school (75% in BC)

Always Feel Safe at School by Grade

McCreary Centre Society Always or Usually Feel Safe at School in… Library85% Classroom81% Cafeteria74% Washrooms65% Hallways65% Outside on school property during school hours 60%

McCreary Centre Society Community & Leisure  41% of students had a paid, part-time job  86% of students say they have money to spend on themselves each week  52% of youth in Central Vancouver Island say they have gambled in the past year (6% 1+ times a week)

McCreary Centre Society Healthy Youth Development: Family Connectedness  Youth with high family and school connectedness are less likely to engage in risky behaviours  The presence of parents in the home at critical times of the day has been shown to promote healthy youth development

Family Connectedness & Risk Behaviours

McCreary Centre Society Healthy Youth Development: School Connectedness  Students who like and feel connected to their school are healthier and achieve better academically  Students that are highly connected to school are less likely to engage in risk behaviours

School Connectedness & Risk Behaviours

McCreary Centre Society Healthy Youth Development is Associated With:  Feeling safe at school  Enjoying school  Having aspirations for post-secondary education  Having a parent or other adult who they can talk to about concerns  Feeling they are good at something  Being involved in extracurricular activities  Volunteering in the community

McCreary Centre Society Summary  This report highlights the importance of connectedness to family, school and community in fostering health and decreasing risk behaviours in youth  While some aspects of youth health have improved or stayed the same, there is still room for improvement in areas

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