SARAVYC is participating in Project RESPEQT (Research and Education on Supportive and Protective Environments for Queer Teens), an NIH (RO1) funded project to explore Multilevel Protective Factors for LGB youth in North America led by the University of Minnesota. In British Columbia, research members from SARAVYC under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc interviewed a total of 20 youth from urban, rural and suburban communities. As part of the interviews, we had youth take us to the places they hang out, services they use, and the places they feel safe. We gathered in-depth information on LGB adolescents’ perceptions of supportive elements in their schools and communities; this information was used in conjunction with published literature and expert review to create an LGBTQ Environment Inventory that characterizes policies, programs, resources and other supports for LGBTQ youth that exist in these settings. The Inventory is now being used to measure indicators of support in 120 communities in British Columbia, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.

A SARAVYC researcher conducting a go-along interview

Findings thus far have been disseminated in academic papers such as “Chasing the rainbow: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth and pride semiotics“, “Helping Young People Stay Afloat: A Qualitative Study of Community Resources and Supports for LGBTQ Adolescents in the United States and Canada“, and “‘Kicked out’: LGBTQ youths’ bathroom experiences and preferences“.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Marla Eisenberg and Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc (for BC portions)

Co-Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc (for US portions), Dr. Heather Corliss, Dr. Richard Sullivan, and Dr. Yuko Homma

Funded under the grant “Multilevel protective factors in the lives of LGB youth in North America” by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Institutes for Child and Human Development, 2014-2018

Growing up with Media is the only national US longitudinal survey of youth designed to study the emergence of sexual violence (SV) perpetration in adolescence. It began in 2006 to examine the long-term linkages between exposure to violent media and the subsequent expression of violent behaviors among 1,600 youth. In 2010, when the youth cohort was 14-17 years of age, the study was re-funded to examine the emergence of sexual violence behavior in adolescence. Preliminary findings suggest that, compared to 9% of heterosexual youth, 33% of sexual minority youth have perpetrated sexual assault, attempted or completed rape, or coercive sex in their lifetime. Similarly, high rates of perpetration are noted for gender minority (49%) versus cisgender youth (11%). This project explores if and how the contextual factors that predict the emergence of SV perpetration are similar and different for sexual and gender minority (SGM) and non-sexual and gender minority youth.

The research objectives of this project are to illuminate how contextual factors that predict the emergence of SV perpetration are similar and different for SGM and non-SGM youth. The research team sought to examine how contextual factors (operationalized as: Sexual and/or gender minority status, general and distal minority stressors, environmental circumstances, and coping and social support) are similar and different predictors of SV for SGM and non-SGM youth. This study will hopefully result in closing the gaps in our understanding of how and why SV perpetration emerges in adolescence for SGM youth – and importantly, what can be done to prevent it.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Michele Ybarra

Co-Investigators: Dr. Kimberly Mitchell, Dr. Hanno Petras, and Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Funded by the National Institute of Health under the grant “Course and Prediction of Sexual Perpetration in Adolescence through Young Adulthood”, 2017-2020

Most of the sexual orientation research done on adolescents originates from the US and only a small number of publications come from other countries. For instance, there have been some recent publications from Turkey and Northern Ireland, but very little research published from African countries or the Middle East. The existence of LGBTQ2S communities has sometimes been phrased as a cultural specific phenomenon of the western world- this project aims to determine if that is the case.

The main research objective of this project is to find evidence of global estimates of adolescent sexual minorities. This will be achieved by conducting a systematic review of the available evidence of the estimates of the LGBTQ adolescent population around the world.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Dr. Terryann Clark, Dr. Hélène Frohard-Dourlent, Emmanuelle Godeau, Lorraine Grieves, Dr. András Költő, Dr. Jennifer Kryworuchko, Dr. Sheila Marshall, Dan Metzger, Dr. Colleen Poon, Dr. Stephen Russell, Dr. Hilary Rose, Annie Smith, Dr. Jaimie Veale, Dr. Jennifer Wolowic, Dr. Michele Ybarra

Funded by: CIHR (Foundation Scheme) under the grant “Improving health equity for LGBTQ youth in Canada and globally: Addressing the role of families and culture”, 2017-2024

Despite compelling data that lesbian and bisexual women are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), programs tailored to the unique needs of adolescent lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) women continue to be nonexistent. Perhaps not surprisingly, LGB women’s perceptions of HIV/STI and pregnancy risk is low, even though they report higher rates of sexual behaviors that increase their risk for STIs as compared to non-LGB women. For example, data from Dr. Michelle Ybarra’s national Teen Health and Technology study suggest that 14% of bisexual and 2% of lesbian women 12-18 years of age have had penile-anal sex; 33% of bisexual and 13% of lesbian adolescent women have also had penile-vaginal sex. Compared to 53% of gay male adolescents who use condoms “most of the time,” only 26% of lesbian female adolescents who have had vaginal or anal sex do similarly.

In addition to unprotected vaginal sex, multiple sexual partners and high-risk sexual partners have been noted at greater frequency among lesbian and bisexual adolescents compared to their heterosexual peers. As a result, rates of pregnancy and diagnoses of STIs are higher for LGB adolescent women than heterosexual women. Although this compelling evidence that lesbian and bisexual adolescent women are at risk for teen pregnancy, programs tailored to the unique needs of adolescent LGB women are nonexistent.

To fill this gap, the Center for Innovative Public  Health Research (CiPHR) has asked SARAVYC researchers and others to join them in developing and evaluating Girl2Girl, a novel text messaging-based teen pregnancy prevention program designed specifically for LGB women ages 14-18 years. The 10-week text messaging intervention included: 5 weeks of risk-reduction content (e.g., how to access and use different forms of contraception), followed by a booster module delivered 4 weeks later. To capitalize on technology’s reach, participants are recruited online. If Girl2Girl is effective at promoting teen pregnancy prevention behavior, it will begin filling the void of healthy sexuality programs aimed at reducing pregnancy for LGB adolescent women.

Learn more about CiPHR’s similar HIV prevention  intervention called Guy2Guy.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michele Ybarra

Co-Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Dr. Margaret Rosario, and Dr. Carol Goodenow

Funded by the U.S. Office of Adolescent Health under the grant “Girl2Girl: Harnessing text messaging to reduce teen pregnancy among LGB girls”, 2015-2020

In collaboration with Vancouver Technical High School, SARAVYC researchers, led by Dr. Sheila Marshall, evaluated their School Wellness Initiative. A Steering committee (called WIN) was created by the school and guides the project. WIN, the administration, students, teachers, and counselors were consulted about what wellness means for their school. A survey was constructed from consultations and administered as a baseline estimate of well-being in 2014. The baseline survey information has informed what the school community wants to target to improve wellness. Each year, during the 5-year initiative, SARAVYC surveyed school students to measure changes and visited classrooms to report initial findings to the students. In between yearly survey administration, the research team carried out observations of the school community and efforts to implement wellness initiatives.

The project has received media attention:

WATCH VIDEO from Global News

How a B.C. school is trying to help students under stress

Dr. Sheila Marshall charges the tablets that will be used to digitally administer the survey to Van Tech students

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: B. Austin, Dr. Dominic Beaulieu-Prevost, Dr. Line Chamberland, D. DePape, Dr. Marla Eisenberg, Dr. Gilbert Emond, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, Dr. Andre Grace, Dr. Sheila Marshall, Warren O’Briain, Ciro Panessa, Dr. Tracey Peter, Dr. Carolyn Porta, Dr. Hilario Rose, Dr. Stephen Russell, Annie Smith, Stephen Smith, Dr. Catherine Taylor, Dr. Robb Travers, Dr. Kenneth Tupper, and Dr. Kris Wells

Funding by CIHR (Open Operating Grants) under the grant “Reducing stigma, promoting resilience: Population health interventions for LGBTQ youth”, 2012-2017

SARAVYC collaborated with Out in Schools, the school-based program operating in British Columbia under the affiliated non-profit organization Out on Screen. Out in Schools is an educational program that uses films and facilitated discussions to teach students and educators about gender, sexuality, and LGBT2Q+ experiences. By addressing issues of homophobia and transphobia, Out in Schools aims to reduce bullying and create more inclusive school environments across British Columbia. While Out in Schools has given hundreds of presentations across 49 of BC’s 60 school districts, limited data existed on the effectiveness of their presentations on reaching their intended goals of awareness and inclusion towards the LGBT2Q+ school communities.

The intention of this research project was to perform a quantitative evaluation of the Out in Schools presentations, via mapping the data onto the BC Adolescent Health Survey. We assessed whether a school hosting an Out in Schools presentation was associated with improved outcomes for the students. We specifically looked at the effects of Out in Schools on bullying (verbal and relational), homophobic discrimination, suicidality, and school connectedness among students.

Read our infographic summarizing our findings.

Read our paper detailing our evaluation.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: B. Austin, Dr. Dominic Beaulieu-Prevost, Dr. Line Chamberland, D. DePape, Dr. Marla Eisenberg, Dr. Gilbert Emond, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, Dr. Andre Grace, Dr. Sheila Marshall, Warren O’Briain, Ciro Panessa, Dr. Tracey Peter, Dr. Carolyn Porta, Dr. Hilario Rose, Dr. Stephen Russell, Annie Smith, Stephen Smith, Dr. Catherine Taylor, Dr. Robb Travers, Dr. Kenneth Tupper, and Dr. Kris Wells

Funding by CIHR (Open Operating Grants) under the grant “Reducing stigma, promoting resilience: Population health interventions for LGBTQ youth”, 2012-2017

FamilySmart Practice Readiness is an innovative program developed by the Institute of Families (IoF) that seeks to improve child and youth mental health by promoting collaborations between doctors, parents, and patients. Two concepts are central to the FamilySmart program: 1) “Together-Centeredness” or the ability of all stakeholders to make decisions collectively, and 2) “FamilySmart skills” or emotion-based skills that can be applied to make decisions more empathetically and taking into account other stakeholders’ points of view. This research project was a developmental evaluation of an innovative program in the field of child and youth mental health.

The FamilySmart Evaluation is a partnership developed between SARAVYC, the McCreary Centre Society, and the Institute of Families. This mixed-methods evaluation partnership aims to assess the pertinence and efficacy of the pilot phase of FamilySmart for this program to be scaled up across the province of British Columbia and eventually across Canada.

The objectives of the FamilySmart Evaluation are:

1. to observe four pilot training sessions
2. to interview training participants prior and after their participation in the training sessions
3. to analyze the observational (quantitative and qualitative) and interview (qualitative) data and produce a community-friendly report outlining the evaluation results
4. to provide recommendations for the improvement of the FamilySmart training program before scale-up.

Principal Investigators: Keli Anderson

Co-Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc and Annie Smith

Funded by the Vancouver Foundation under the grant “FamilySmart Networks Evaluation”, 2016-2019

In 2015, SARAVYC joined a team of researchers seeking to increase health knowledge about and improve services for male youth who have experienced sexual violence. The CIHR funded grant, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Christine Wekerle of McMaster University, focuses on Aboriginal youth health (particularly mental health resilience) as well as the engagement of youths in violence prevention. The research targets health risk behaviors, mediators of impairment, and resilience for health promotion.

Lead by Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, SARAVYC’s role will be to answer the following questions:

1. What are the contexts, exploitation experiences, and related health challenges of sexually exploited homeless and street-involved boys, and do they differ from those of sexually exploited homeless and street-involved girls?
2. What resilience factors are linked to lower odds of health problems among sexually exploited runaway and street-involved boys? What resilience factors are linked to lower odds of health problems among boys who are in school?
3. How might we need to adapt an existing effective intervention among sexually exploited girls for it to be feasible and effective for sexually exploited boys to promote resilience and health risks?

In partnership with the McCreary Centre Society, Dr. Saewyc and SARAVYC conducted a 12-city survey of street-involved and homeless youth age 12-19, using the same participatory methods from 2006 and 2000. We are using multivariate modelling, primarily logistic regression and probability profiling, to identify how combinations of risk and protective factors influence the probability of health problems, such as suicide or self-harm, problem substance use and risky sexual behaviours. We are examining health and risks for sub-groups of boys, such as gay and bisexual boys, who are at higher risk for sexual abuse than heterosexual peers. These patterns will be used to identify promising avenues for interventions.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Christine Wekerle

Co-Investigators: Dr. Christine Wekerle, Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Dr. Michael Boyle, Dr. Martine Hébert, Harriet L. MacMillan, Dr. Christopher John Mushquash, Dr. Sherry H. Stewart, and Dr. Michael Ungar

Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Team Grant on Boys and Men’s Health (Full Proposal), “Understanding health risks and promoting resilience in male youth with sexual violence experience”, 2014-2019

The National Inventory of School System Interventions for LGBTQ Student Well-being and School Connectedness was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of school-system interventions in reducing stigma and improving resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Two-Spirit, and queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students.

The goal of this study was to identify which interventions have been implemented across Canada through an online survey of school district Superintendents/Directors. The survey covered anti-harassment policies and anti-bullying programs, student clubs, curriculum, and events. Inventory data not only indicated what types of interventions are being implemented and where, but also told us whether these interventions have been effective in achieving the hoped for results of school system officials. This work yielded valuable recommendations to help inform decision making about the kinds of interventions that work best, in what contexts, and for what goals.

This study was conducted in partnership with the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Read the report.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Catherine Taylor

Co-Investigators: Dr. Tracey Peter, Dr. Gilbert Émond, Dr. Ryan Dyck, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, Dr. André Grace, Helen Kennedy, Dr. Barbara Ravel, Dr. Hilary Rose, Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Annie Smith, Dr. Robb Travers, and Dr. Kristopher Wells

Funded by CIHR Open Operating Grants under the grant “Reducing stigma, promoting resilience: Population health interventions for LGBTQ youth”, 2012-2017

The Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey, completed in collaboration with universities and health researchers across Canada between October 2013 and May 2014, was the first and largest of its kind in Canada. The Survey included 923 individuals participating, between the ages 14-25, from all provinces and territories except Nunavut and the Yukon. They were asked a range of questions in English or French on their home and school life, physical and mental health, access to health care, and gender identity. The health issues facing trans* youth may be different from other youth, and we want to ensure that the voices of trans* youth are heard.

A few key findings:

• Eighty-three per cent of participants lived in their “felt gender” at least part-time; half lived in their felt gender full-time. Those who lived in their felt gender all the time were almost 50 per cent more likely to report good or excellent mental health.
• Nearly two-thirds of youth reported self-harm within the past year. More than one in three had attempted suicide.
• Seventy per cent of participants reported sexual harassment. Two-thirds reported discrimination because of their gender identity.
• More than one in three, or 36 per cent, of the younger participants (ages 14-18) had been physically threatened or injured in the past year.
• One in three youth did not have an adult in their family they could talk to about problems, and seven in 10 felt their family did not understand them. When they felt cared about and supported by family, they reported better health.
• Only 15 per cent of youth with a family doctor report feeling comfortable discussing their transgender-specific health care needs.
• One-third of younger (ages 14-18) and half of older youth (ages 19-25) reported missing needed physical health care during the past year, and even more missed needed mental health care.

Read the community report: BEING SAFE, BEING ME: Results of the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey

Read in French: ÊTRE EN SÉCURITÉ, ÊTRE SOI-MÊME: Résultats de l’enquête canadienne sur la santé des jeunes trans

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Dr. Line Chamberland, Dr. Anita DeLongis, Dr. Gilbert Émond, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, Dr. André P. Grace, Dan Metzger, Dr. Tracey Peter, Annie Smith, Dr. Catherine Taylor, Dr. Robb Travers, Dr. Ann Travers, Dr. Kris Wells, and the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey Research Group

Funded by CIHR Open Operating Grants under the grant “Reducing stigma, promoting resilience: Population health interventions for LGBTQ youth”, 2012-2017

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways that an inter-agency team created a supportive, caring and safe environment with students who attend the Pinnacle Program. The Pinnacle Program is a joint partnership between the Vancouver Board of Education and the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD–the Provincial Ministry responsive for child protection) that provides low barrier access for youth who wish to complete their Secondary School Graduation Certificate (Dogwood Diploma or Adult Dogwood Diploma).

Using qualitative research methods, this study documented staff and student’s reflections about the strategies, approaches and philosophies that constitute a supportive model of care.

Read the Report

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-investigators: Genevieve Creighton, Susan Shumay, and Eva Moore

Funded by the Quail Rock Foundation, 2013-14

As a means to improve youth health, the BC Government introduced the Healthy Schools Strategy, based on a comprehensive school health framework. In Vancouver Coastal Health, the North Shore Public Health Nursing Child & Youth Team developed plans to provide school nursing in all 12 public high schools in West Vancouver and North Vancouver (School Districts 44 & 45). Nursing interventions were grounded in the PHN Wheel of Interventions.

At the PHN (public health nursing) team’s request, Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc provided in-service training on applying the PHN Wheel of Intervention to public health nursing care of adolescents (with particular attention to school settings) in June 2012. This evaluation documented the types and perceived effectiveness of PHN interventions delivered to youth and school communities in the public secondary schools on the North Shore. We used a mixed methods approach, which involved documents review, in-school observations, tracking PHN interventions, and semi-structured interviews with both PHNs and school staff. The PHNs also documented all school-based interventions and activities from September 2012 to June 2013 using a tracking tool they had developed.

Read the Evaluation’s Report

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Jennifer Roy and Sue Foster

Funded in part by CIHR-PHAC (Research Chair Applied Public Health Research) under the grant, “Building Capacity for Population-Level Monitoring & Interventions for Healthy Youth”, 2008-2013

The partnership between St. Paul’s Hospital Inner City Youth Mental Health Program (ICYMHP), Covenant House Vancouver (CHV), Coast Mental Health (CMH) and BC Housing (a subsidiary of the Ministry of Social Development) has led to the provision of housing and psychiatric services for at-risk, street involved youth (17-24) in Vancouver’s downtown core. The partnership’s delivery model was not only unique in its scope and breadth of service but also in the degree of integration between non traditional partners, respectively a hospital, a homeless shelter, a mental health housing organization and a housing corporation. Identifying and understanding the key elements of the transformational changes leading to this successful partnership were at the heart of this project.

Read the report here.

Read the report in French.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc and Dr. Steve Matthias

Co-Investigators: Rob Rivers, Claire Pitcher, and Bea Miller

Funded by HRSDC Homelessness Prevention Program under the grant, “Transformational change in 4 organizations partnered to address youth homelessness”, 2013-14

This study explored the links between sexual abuse, timing of abuse, substance use and sexual harms as a consequence of substance use, among adolescent students in rural Western Canada. Data was obtained from the 2011 East Kootenay Adolescent Drug Use Survey, a biennial survey that assesses substance use patterns, behaviours and attitudes, and related risk behaviours amongst East Kootenay youth in Grades 7 to 12.

We found that childhood sexual abuse is strongly correlated with substance use and substance use-related sexual behaviours in adolescents. Further, the difference in odds ratios for various behaviours depending on gender and age of abuse, suggested that the timing of the sexual abuse has implications with respect to psycho-social development, coping and exposure to increased risk. Sexual abuse prevention programs, or early intervention when sexual abuse is reported, may have additional benefits by contributing to delayed and/or reduced substance use, as well as reducing unwanted or risky sexual behaviours due to substance use.

“Best Poster” Award at the Issues of Substance Conference, Vancouver 2011

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Dean Nicholson

Funded by the Interior Health Authority and CIHR, 2011 – 2012

Since 1992, the BC Adolescent Health Survey has been conducted every 5 years in school districts across BC. The surveys have included a number of scales related to family and school connectedness, peer attitudes, school safety, and emotional health. In 2008, the fourth survey added some additional measures related to cultural connectedness and self-esteem. Because of the changing demographics and social influences on adolescents, it is important to re-evaluate the validity of the scales that are being used, and examine new scales that have been included, especially for different sub-groups of youth who might understand the questions differently. Therefore, this project systematically examined the previous and new scales that had been used in the BC AHS 2008, using confirmatory factor analyses among other strategies to examine the psychometric properties of these scales.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Annie Smith, Dr. Colleen Poon, Dr. Laura MacKay, and Dr. Yuko Homma

Funded by CIHR– Chair in Applied Public Health under the grant “Building Capacity for Population-Level Monitoring & Interventions for Healthy Youth”, 2008-2013

Using a mixed methods approach, we critically explored the discourse used in printed news media to describe the sexual exploitation of youth. Our data set included approximately 1300 articles from various newspapers across Canada, 1988 – 2013 that discussed specific events, issues, research findings, and policy or legal changes related to the sexual exploitation of youth.

This project explored questions such as:

• how might the language of sexual exploitation change over time?
• how are victims described? Who is “typical” and who is invisible?
• what are differences in gender and ethnicity?
• what is the narrative structure of the stories?
• what are the words chosen for headlines?
• and, how are perpetrators characterized?

Click here to see our first publication using data up to 2008, “Competing Discourses about youth sexual exploitation in Canadian news media” published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc and Dr. Pam Hirakata

Co-Investigators: Dr. Chris Hitchcock, Dr. Jean Shoveller, Dr. Laura MacKaym, Jayson Anderson, Jennifer Matthews, Quinn Metcalfe, Semee Joo, Stephanie Callaghan, Rob Rivers, Bea Miller, and Carla Hilario

Funded by CIHR-PHAC Research Chair (Applied Public Health Research) under the grant “Building Capacity for Population-Level Monitoring & Interventions for Healthy Youth”, 2008-2013

Most stigma measures are for a single characteristic, such as mental illness, or HIV/AIDS. This approach does not allow us to capture “layered” stigma (i.e., the compound effects of stigma from multiple stigmatized characteristics). We developed a general stigmatization measure that included items that tap three dimensions of stigma: enacted stigma (rejecting hostile behaviours targeted toward stigmatized people), perceived stigma (awareness you possess a stigmatized characteristic and others reject you), and internalized stigma (acceptance of the dominant groups’ negative judgments about you). We performed focus groups with potentially stigmatized youth as well as additional individual youth interviewees. The purpose was to make sure that wording was culturally and developmentally-appropriate, and to identify ways of expressing enacted stigma not previously identified in the literature.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Christopher Drozda, David Ki, Dr. Chiaki Konishi, Dr. Cheryl Kaiser, Dr. Jennifer Lloyd, Dr. Scott Carlson, Jennifer Matthews, and Suzanne Clarke

Funded by BC Mental Health & Addictions (Research Network Seed Grant), 2009

The Qualitative Study of Gender-Affirming Surgery Experiences in BC is the result of a collaboration between the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre (SARAVYC) at the University of British Columbia, and Trans Care BC, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority. Trans Care BC’s role is to enhance the coordination and availability of trans health services and supports across the province. This study is the first to offer some insights into the experiences of people in British Columbia who seek to access gender-affirming surgery. We interviewed 35 people who had at least one surgical readiness assessment and/or one surgery while residing in British Columbia in the last 5 years. We hope that the stories that they shared can help identify gender-affirming and supportive practices, as well as gaps in the recent system of care, so that the information can help our province continue to move towards a patient-centered model of gender-affirming surgical care.

Read the report

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Lorraine Grieves, Dr. Hélène Frohard-Dourlent, and Dr. Jennifer Wolowic

Funded by TransCare BC (part of the BC Provincial Health Services Authority) under the grant “Transgender Surgery Experiences Qualitative Interviews”, 2016-2017

The Minnesota Runaway Intervention Project (RIP) provided health care, intensive support and life skill development for young runaway girls (aged 10 to 15) who had been or were at risk of being sexually assaulted or exploited. The aim of the program was to help girls heal from trauma and rebuild self-esteem and connectedness to family and school. The research project evaluated the program since 2006, conducting a longitudinal study of health outcomes for participants, and tracking the perspectives of their families and community agencies involved in the program.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc (evaluation), and Kate Richtmann

Co-Investigators:  Laurel Edinburgh and Emily Huehman

Funded by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), via Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety under the grant “Minnesota Runaway Intervention Program”, 2006-7 (renewed annually 2008-2013; renewed for evaluations only in 2014-2015, and 2016-2020)

The Gender-Affirming Surgery Experience Survey was the result of a collaboration between the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre (SARAVYC) at the University of British Columbia, and Trans Care BC, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority. Trans Care BC’s role is to enhance the coordination and availability of trans health services and supports across the province. The online survey had 337 respondents and was open to anyone residing in Canada who had undergone assessment and/or surgery in the last five years, thus accounting for people’s experiences since 2011.

Read the report

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Lorraine Grieves, Dr. Hélène Frohard-Dourlent, Dr. Jennifer Wolowic, and Dr. Ryan Watson

Funded by TransCare BC (part of the BC Provincial Health Services Authority) under the grant “Transgender Surgery Experiences Survey, evaluation for TransCare BC”, 2016-2017

Young men are at higher risk of injury and death than young women, and certain groups of young men are at higher risk that other young men. Within these high risk groups, little was known about how they react to the death of a friend, as well as how this event may or may not affect their own actions or ideas about risky activities. This research sought to identify the positive ways that men respond and how interventions may help men avoid responses to a friend’s death that increase risk of injury or fatality.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Dr. John Oliffe, Dr. Shauna Butterwick, Dr. Gen Creighton, Jennifer Matthews, and Eva MacMillan

Funded by a CIHR Operating Grant (Institute of Gender and Health Seed Grant: Boys and Men’s Health) “Young Men’s Responses to the Accidental Death of a Friend”, 2010-12

In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) tapped SARAVYC for urgent support.

Background

WHO’s Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health is currently developing a global guideline on school health services, and the Guidelines Development Group (GDG) is chaired by Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc. As one step in guideline development, WHO wanted to consult school health experts around the world, but at a relatively late stage, the GDG really felt the survey should be offered in WHO’s six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. 

WHO’s internal services for translating and administering such a survey were already booked for months in advance, so it looked like it might not have been possible to get the survey out in time in multiple languages. But SARAVYC research staff had both the expertise to program the online survey, and the ability to get speedy translations from Qualtrics services (for a fee), so WHO contracted us to get the translations, program the survey, launch it to more than 1400 experts identified across the world, and prepare the preliminary results for reporting back — all in 6 weeks! 

What’s Next

Results from the survey were used to help the GDG prioritize which promotion, prevention, care, and treatment interventions to recommend in global school health services, an important element of the guidelines. WHO is now preparing the guidelines document, and after it is released, the SARAVYC team will work with colleagues from WHO to develop a peer-reviewed paper with the more detailed analyses of the survey findings.

Sexual minority youth in British Columbia (BC) feel less supported by parents now than their sexual minority peers did in 1998, especially by fathers. There are few interventions designed for families, and almost all are group-based approaches in urban centres, with limited evaluation of their outcomes. Studies have shown the effectiveness of on-line and text-messaging approaches in sustaining health behaviour change, including by our research team, and such interventions can bypass barriers and access issues for parents and youth, even in rural areas (e.g., privacy, transportation, competing life demands, lack of available local professionals). However, studies of text-messaging interventions for sexual minority youth, while conducted in the United States by our team, have not been implemented in Canada, nor for parents. Further, there is very little research on how well families support rural sexual minority youth, or those from various ethnocultural and immigrant backgrounds, or if these youth face even greater health inequities due to the intersection of racism and stigma. There is no research on the extent to which protective factors like family connectedness buffer the effects of stigma for different ethnic groups of sexual minority youth in Canada and globally.

Although research has provided some direction about what lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two Spirit, and other (LGBTQ/2S+) youth need from their parents to thrive, such as warmth, care and closeness, we have limited knowledge of the stressors and barriers parents face in supporting their youth and parents’ strategies for managing those stressors and barriers. 

Our research will identify culturally specific knowledge to create new, culturally relevant family and youth interventions, to improve their health and reduce the health disparities sexual minority youth face. These interventions will seek to effectively reach youth and their parents in rural as well as in urban areas, among diverse cultural groups, in order to improve support, health knowledge, and motivation for healthy coping.

The objectives of this study are:

• To understand the experience of parents of LGBTQ/2S+ youth in response to disclosure of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

• To identify and understand the stressors and barriers parents face within their communities and extended families in supporting their LGBTQ/2S+ youth, and parents’ strategies for navigating those stressors and barriers.
• To understand the role of collectivist and cultural communities on parental support of LGBTQ/2S+ youth.
• To gather feedback on developing interventions to support parents of LGBTQ/2S+ youth.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: 

Dr. Sheila Marshall, Professor, School of Social Work, UBC
Dr. Chichun Lin, Assistant Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy Program, Faculty of Education, University of Winnipeg
Dr. Monica Rana, Managing Director, SARAVYC, School of Nursing, UBC
Shannon Millar, Research Assistant, SARAVYC, School of Nursing, UBC

Funded by: CIHR (Foundation Scheme) & SSHRC

In 2021, the Representative for Children and Youth in British Columbia contracted SARAVYC to undertake a series of studies using data from the BC Adolescent Health Survey and the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey to understand the experiences of gender minority youth in government care and accessing health services. For the project, SARAVYC undertook four interrelated literature reviews, data analyses of BCAHS (2018) and CTYHS (2014 & 2019), and interviewed former and current gender minority youth with experiences in government care and health services in the province.

Completed in 2023, SARAVYC’s report was published as part of the Representative for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth’s report The Right to Thrive: An Urgent Call to Recognize, Respect and Nurture Two Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary and other Gender Diverse Children and Youth. In Representative Charlesworth’s own words, “Let’s be clear: young people have the right to be who they are and to thrive…The hate speech and anti-trans legislative efforts we have seen recently in Canada and the United States is alarming and is causing great harm. As you will read in the report, the negative impacts of this on 2STNBGD children and youth are enormous, and they are paying the price in increased critical injuries and suicidality. I’m calling on the government and ministries to work together and make this a priority.”

Critically, The Right to Thrive outlines multiple urgent steps needed to ensure the safety and well-being of gender diverse youth in British Columbia. You can also find the recommendations SARAVYC compiled through our research in our section of the report.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Managing Director: Dr. Monica Rana

Research Team: 
James Sinclair, Research Assistant, SARAVYC
Seren Friskie, Research Assistant, SARAVYC
Eli G. Godwin, Research Assistant, SARAVYC

Funded by: Representative for Children & Youth, British Columbia

The aim of this study is to pilot test the effect of a short, discussion-led social cognitive intervention on homophobic language use, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and attitudes towards using homophobic language. The intervention will be delivered by professional rugby union players to teenage rugby union teams.

British Columbia Rugby (BC Rugby) wants to challenge the use of homophobic language in Rugby and will be initiating the intervention, in which the selected team members (ambassadors) from the BC Rugby teams will be trained to challenge homophobia in their team culture. The current study will be a pilot study to explore the effect of the intervention using surveys and qualitative focus groups. We will be specifically observing the intervention, providing support to ambassadors, and examining the effect of the intervention to help BC Rugby to scale this intervention to all the clubs in the future.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-Investigators: Annie Smith, McCreary Centre Society, Executive Director; Dr. Richard Pringle, Monash University

Research Team:
Shannon Millar, Project Coordinator, SARAVYC
Shams Al-anzi, Research Assistant, SARAVYC
Emily Gee, Research Assistant, SARAVYC
Katie Horton, Research Assistant, McCreary Centre Society
Dr. Erik Denison, Postdoctoral Fellow, Monash University

Funded by: CIHR (Foundation Scheme) “Improving health equity for LGBTQ youth in Canada and globally: addressing the role of families and culture”

Partnering with BC Rugby