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

2. 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

3. McCreary Centre Society North Vancouver Island Region  Located in the Upper Island Geographic Area (used for identifying trends)  Includes school districts: # 71 Comox Valley # 72 Campbell River # 84 Vancouver Island West # 85 Vancouver Island North  Of these school districts, Comox Valley chose not to participate

4. McCreary Centre Society North Vancouver Island Region Map

5. 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 

6. 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 

7. McCreary Centre Society Family Background  74% of youth are European  14% Aboriginal  43% of Aboriginal students lived on a reserve at least once in their lives  97% of students were born in Canada

8. McCreary Centre Society Physical Health Status  Most students in this region (86%) report excellent or good health  More boys than girls feel they have excellent or good health (88% vs. 84%)  10% of students in this region have a chronic health condition or disability that limits their activity

9. McCreary Centre Society  40% of girls and 59% of boys are satisfied with their appearance  21% of boys and 12% of girls are overweight (based on BMI from height and weight given on survey)  79% of boys and 72% of girls exercise 3 or more days a week  Level of exercise decreases with age Physical Health: Appearance, Weight & Exercise

10. Hours Spent in Front of a Screen on School Day

11. McCreary Centre Society Nutrition  46% of students always eat breakfast on school days  Younger youth are more likely to eat breakfast daily  Boys are more likely than girls to always eat breakfast on a school day (53% vs. 39%)

12. Nutrition: Eat Breakfast on School Day by Grade

13. McCreary Centre Society Injuries  In BC, injuries have declined between 1998 and 2003  North Vancouver Island has a higher rate of injuries (38%) than the provincial average (34%)  Most injuries occurred during a sports or recreational activity

14. Injury Prevention Behaviour by Gender

15. McCreary Centre Society Substance Use: Tobacco Non- Smoker Experimental Smoker Current Smoker North Vancouver Island Region 2003 67%23%9% BC 200373%19%7% Upper Island Area 2003 71%21%7% Upper Island Area 1998 51%30%17%

16. McCreary Centre Society North Vancouver Island has higher than provincial average rate of trying alcohol, use and binge drinking Substance Use: Alcohol North Vancouver 2003 BC Ever had a drink of alcohol69%57% Used alcohol 100+ days in life15%10% Binge drinking on 3+ days in past month 18%11%

17. McCreary Centre Society Substance Use: Ever Used Marijuana North Vancouver Island 200351% BC 200337% Upper Island Area 200346% Upper Island Area 199849% Upper Island Area 199234%

18. McCreary Centre Society Sexual Behaviour  Youth are waiting longer to have sex  34% of youth in North Vancouver Island have ever had sexual intercourse (24% in BC)  18% of sexually active youth first had intercourse before age 14 (20% in BC)

19. Sexual Behaviour: Birth Control Used Last Time Having Sex

20. McCreary Centre Society Sexual Behavior: Risk of STDs  67% of students in North Vancouver Island that have had sex, used a condom last time had sex (BC average is 68%)  The group the least likely to use a condom the last time they had sex was sexually active students 17 years of age and older  39% of sexually active students in this area reported 3 or more partners in lifetime  19% of sexually active youth reported 2 or more partners in last 3 months

21. McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health  6% of youth in North Vancouver Island reported serious emotional distress in the past month  Girls are more likely than boys to report serious emotional distress  15% reported ever being physically abused  9% reported ever being sexually abused

22. McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health: Suicide  Suicide thoughts and attempts among youth in BC have not declined over the past decade  13% of students in No. Van. Island said they had seriously considered suicide in the past year  9% had actually planned a suicide attempt  5% attempted suicide one or more times in past year  The number of youth whose suicide attempt lead to treatment by a doctor or nurse was too small to report in this region

23. McCreary Centre Society Emotional Health: Discrimination  29% of youth in North Vancouver Island said they had been discriminated against due to skin colour, sexual orientation or physical appearance in the past 12 months

24. Sexual Harassment in Past Year

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

26. McCreary Centre Society Violence & Safety  28% of students said 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

27. Help Seeking

28. McCreary Centre Society Violence and Safety  Internet safety is a growing concern  In North Vancouver Island, 9% of boys and 24% of girls have encountered a stranger on the Internet who made them feel unsafe  8% of youth have run away in the past year  Running away is associated with a greatly increased likelihood of risky behaviours

29. McCreary Centre Society School  72% of students like school some or very much  Girls are more likely to have positive feelings about school  Dislike for school increases with age  70% of students in North Vancouver Island plan to continue their education past secondary school (75% in BC)

30. Always Feel Safe at School by Grade

31. McCreary Centre Society Always or Usually Feel Safe at School in… Library82% Classroom81% Cafeteria75% Washrooms63% Hallways63% Outside on school property during school hours 57%

32. McCreary Centre Society Community & Leisure  46% of students had a paid, part-time job  89% of students say they have money to spend on themselves  58% of youth in North Vancouver Island say they have gambled in the past year (8% once a week or more)

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

34. Family Connectedness & Risk Behaviours

35. 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

36. School Connectedness & Risk Behaviours

37. 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

38. 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

39. McCreary Centre Society For More Information Available at www.mcs.bc.ca