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Vancouver

Results of the 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey

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2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey:Vancouver Results

▪ Background

▪ Positive findings and trends

▪ Areas of concern

▪ Protective factors

▪ Using the data

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Administration

2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey

▪ 29,832 surveys were completed

▪ 1,645 classrooms

▪ 56 school districts

▪ 325 PHN’s and nursing students

Participation in Vancouver

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Youth in Vancouver

▪ 47% of students reported East Asian heritage

▪ 26% of students reported European heritage

▪ 29% of students born outside of Canada

▪ Less likely to identify as straight

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Home life

▪ 95% of students lived with at least one parent

▪ 2% had lived in foster care

▪ 7% ran away from home in past year

▪ 23% moved from one home to another

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Young carers

Another relative (e.g., disabled relative, younger sibling)

Pets or animals

16%

25%22%

31%

Who youth took care of on an average school day

Males Females

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Health conditions and disabilities

▪ Over a fifth of students had at least one health condition or disability

▪ Females were almost 3x more likely than males to report a mental health condition

▪ For many the condition was debilitating

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Working

Note: Not all differences between ages were statistically significant.

13 years old or

younger

14 15 16 17 18 years or older

0%

25%

50%

6%11%

14%18%

33%

40%

Students who worked at a paid job during the school year

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Technology

▪ 9 out of 10 students had a cellphone

▪ Cellphone use was linked to:– More supportive adults outside family

– Feeling safe at school

▪ Students without a phone

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Transportation

Walk, bike, skateboard Car Bus or public transit

53%48%

32%

42%

58%

28%

Most common ways youth usually got to school

Vancouver BC

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Positive Findings and Trends

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Most youth had seen a dentist in the past year

8% of students missed out on needed medical care Poor Fair Good Excellent

1%

11%

51%

37%

1%

15%

59%

25%

Overall health ratings

Males Females

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Decrease in serious injuries for males

Note: The difference for females was not statistically significant.

2003 20130%

15%

30% 27%

23%

18% 17%

Injured in the past year

Males Females

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Nutrition

▪ Most youth ate fruit and vegetables

▪ Many still falling short of the recommended daily portions.

▪ 94% of youth never went to bed hungry

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More youth ate breakfast

Never ate breakfast Sometimes ate breakfast Always ate breakfast

66%75%

87%

Good or excellent mental health in relation to how often youth ate breakfast on school days

Go

od

/exce

lle

nt

me

nta

l h

ea

lth

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Some risky sexual behaviour decreased

12% had ever had sexual intercourse

Among those:

25% first had sex at age 14 or younger

20% of males used drugs or alcohol last time they had sex

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Fewer youth tried tobacco

14% had ever tried smoking.

Among those:

▪ Youth waited longer to try smoking

▪ Males more likely to use various tobacco products

Fewer youth were exposed to second hand smoke

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Fewer youth tried alcohol

33% had ever tried alcohol

Among those:

▪ Youth waited longer to try alcohol

▪ 36% reported drinking five or more drinks in a short time

12% of all youth drank last Saturday

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Fewer youth tried marijuana

17% had ever tried marijuana

Among those:

▪ Youth waited longer to try marijuana

▪ 4% of all studentsused last Saturday

▪ 3% mixed alcohol and marijuana

Most commonly got marijuana from a youth outside their family (88%)

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Decreases in substance use

2003 20130%

25%

50%45%

33%

24% 17%

25%

14%

Youth who had ever tried different substances

Alcohol Marijuana Tobacco

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Using other substances  2013

Change since 2003

Prescription pills without a doctor’s consent

11%

Hallucinogens 4%

Mushrooms 3%

Cocaine 2%

Inhalants 1%

Amphetamines 1%

Heroin NR

Steroids without a doctor’s consent

NR

NR – Estimate suppressed due to risk of deductive disclosure.

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School safety increased

80% 78%67%

59% 55%46%

96% 94% 91% 90%85% 84%

Students who always or usually felt safe at school

2003 2013

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Friends with pro-social attitudes

Note: NA means that the question was not asked.

Students whose friends would be upset with them if they...

  2003 2013Change

since 2003

Dropped out of school 79% 86%

Were involved in gang activity NA 86%

Got pregnant or got someone pregnant

70% 81%

Got arrested 62% 80%

Beat someone up 56% 78%

Used marijuana 57% 64%

Got drunk 39% 52%

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Areas of Concern

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Concussions

11% of youth experienced a concussion in past year

Lost consciousness

Ringing in the ears

Blurred vision

Dazed, confused or suffered a gap in memory

Dizziness or balance problems

Headaches

27%

32%

40%

41%

58%

66%

Concussion symptoms experienced(among youth who had a concussion in the past

year)

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Ratings of mental health

Poor or Fair Good or Excellent

19%

81%

14%

86%

Mental health and overall health ratings

Mental health Overall health

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Suicide

Males

▪ 7% considered suicide

▪ 3% attempted suicide

Females

▪ 13% considered suicide

▪ 7% attempted suicide

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0%

20%

40%

2%8%

13%

30%

Youth who attempted suicide in the past yearin relation to suicide attempts by family or close

friends

Att

em

pte

d s

uic

ide

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Other mental health concerns

Most commonly reported conditions

MalesFemale

s

Depression 4% 9%

Anxiety Disorder/Panic Attacks

2% 8%

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

5% 3%Extreme stress Extreme despair

3%4%

12%11%

Students who experienced extreme stress and despair

in the past month

Males Females

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Foregone mental health care

▪ 10% did not access needed mental health services

▪ Most common reasons:▪ Not wanting parents to know▪ Thinking or hoping problem would go

away

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Getting enough sleep

4 hours or less

5 6 7 8 9 10 hours or more

4%6%

13%

23%

29%

18%

6%5%8%

17%

28%25%

12%

5%

Hours slept last night

Males Females

Note: The differences between males and females who slept 4 hours or less and 10 hours or more were not statistically significant.

Note: The percentages for males do not equal 100% due to rounding.

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Mental health and sleep

Note: The difference between 5 hours and 6 hours was not statistically significant.

4 hours or less

5 6 7 8 9 hours or more

0%

50%

100%

53%

67% 71%80%

87%93%

Good/excellent mental health in relation to hours slept last night

Go

od

/exce

lle

nt

me

nta

l h

ea

lth

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Bullying

▪ Decrease in physical assault not seen in other forms of bullying▪ Females more likely to be teased in past

year▪ Social exclusion rates did not improve

▪ 12% were cyberbullied in past year

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Perpetrators of bullying

Victim of 0 types of bullying

Victim of 1 type of bullying

Victim of 2 types of bullying

Victim of 3 types of bullying

9%

31%

45%

56%*

Youth who were perpetrators of bullying in relation to the number of different types of bullying they

experienced in past year (teased, excluded, assaul-ted)

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

yo

uth

wh

o b

ul-

lie

d o

thers

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

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Discrimination & violence

▪ Increases in discrimination because of sexual orientation▪ More common for males

▪ Rate of dating violence not improved

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Abuse & Harassment

Note: The gender difference for physical abuse was not statistically significant.

Physically abused Sexually abused Both physically and sexually abused

12%

4%

2%

14%

11%

5%

Students who were ever abused

Males Females

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Underweight Healthy weight Overweight Obese

5%

72%

16%

6%3%

85%

9%2%

BMI weight category

MalesFemales

Overweight and obesity rates rose

Note: Percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding.

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Exercise participation

▪ 13% of students aged 12-17 met the daily activity recommendations

▪ More older youth (aged 18 or 19) reached their guidelines

▪ Weekly participation in informal sports decreased

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Barriers to participation

Barrier Males Females

Too busy 48% 57%

Activity wasn’t available in community

12% 14%

Couldn’t afford to 10% 18%

Couldn’t get there or home 9% 15%

Worried about being bullied 3% 5%

Note: The difference between males and females who did not participate because the activity wasn’t available in their community was not statistically significant.

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Protective Factors

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Established Protective Factors

• School connectedness

• Positive family relationships

• Caring adults outside the family

• Someone to turn to for help

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Established Protective Factors

• Peer relationships

• Good nutrition

• Feeling engaged and valued

• Stable home

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Protective Factors - 2013

• Nine or more hours of sleep

• Neighbourhood safety

• Community connectedness

• Cultural connectedness

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There are many improving trends in the health of Vancouver youth

Sleep, bullying and mental health are some areas of concern

Promoting protective factors have and can continue to play a key role in improving outcomes for Vancouver youth

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56 school district data

tables

16 HSDA reports

Growing Up in BC

Sexual health report

Youth resources

Using the Data

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Next Steps

▪ Youth-led projects or initiatives

▪ nextsteps@mcs.bc.ca

In Our Shoes

▪ Bullying awareness video

▪ https://www.youtube.com/user/McCrearyCentre

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Grants up to $500 for youth-led projects

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Discussing the results

▪ Commentary on the AHS findings from:– Mary Ellen Turpel-LaFond,

Representative for Children and Youth– Bob Lenarduzzi,

Owner, Vancouver Whitecaps.– And more!

▪ Video on McCreary’s YouTube channel

▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaIJK1rYXCw

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annie@mcs.bc.ca duncan@mcs.bc.ca

Vancouver

Results of the 2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey