Research shows that although lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth have poorer mental and physical health outcomes compared to their heterosexual peers, school-connectedness and supportive and caring relationships with their families have a positive impact on their health. However, little is known about how health outcomes differ for LGB youth of various ethnocultural backgrounds, or how sexual orientation might affect relationships between parents and children from different ethnocultural groups. To address this gap, we will be analyzing data from the BC Adolescent Health Survey to: (1) identify differences in health outcomes and trends between heterosexual and LGB youth from Indigenous, East Asian, and South Asian ethnocultural backgrounds; and (2) document the roles of families and schools in health outcomes within these groups.

Advisory committees (composed of youth, family members, health professionals, teachers, counselors and other community members) are being recruited for each of the ethnocultural groups. These committees will inform our study’s analyses, as well as the resulting knowledge translation materials and activities (e.g., pamphlets, presentations, infographics). Findings will be shared in academic journal articles and community reports, and will inform future culturally-respectful health promotion activities for LGB youth from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds.

This project is the Core of our 7 year Canadian Institutes of Health Foundation Grant, “Improving health equity for LGBTQ youth in Canada and globally: Addressing the role of families and culture”.

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

In 2014, and again in 2019, SARAVYC conducted a bilingual survey to learn about the health of transgender youth in Canada. It was the first and largest of its kind in Canada, with 1,519 trans and/or non-binary youth across the nation responding in 2019.

This study was funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research and involved collaborations with various universities and health researchers across the nation. Similar to 2014, this survey was available for young people between the ages of 14 to 25 to take in English or French and asked about a range of topics including gender identity, access to gender-affirming care, and physical health. When applicable, comparisons between 2014 and 2019 were made to gauge whether things have improved since 2014.

Developed in consultation with trans and/or non-binary advisory groups across Canada, recommendations to improve the health and well-being of trans and/or non-binary youth included inclusive and comprehensive sex education, safer washrooms and public spaces, and decreasing health disparities between provinces.

Learn more about the Being Safe, Being Me 2019 project at saravyc.ubc.ca/ctyhs2019

CTYHS will be conducted again in fall of 2023.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Managing Director: Dr. Monica Rana

Co-Investigators: Dr. Greta Bauer, Dr. Anita DeLongis, Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan, Dr. Dan Metzger, Dr. Tracey Peter, Dr. Annie Pullen Sansfaçon, Dr. Catherine Taylor, Dr. Julie Temple Newhook, Dr. Robb Travers, Dr. Jaimie Veale, Dr. Kristopher Wells, Dr. Ashley B. Taylor

Funding 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

2019 Reports: English / Français

2014 Reports: English / Français

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

SARAVYC has developed an innovative, award-winning method of studying site-level longitudinal effects of population health interventions (SLEPHI) that can be applied to site-level research in any field.

Using the SLEPHI method, SARAVYC is evaluating recent and previous British Columbia Adolescent Health Surveys to explore the impact of GSAs (Gay Straight Alliances or Gender Sexuality Alliances). Our study into their impact on student health, found that GSAs make schools safer not only for LGBTQ2S+ students, but for all students. The research also revealed that the longer a GSA exists, the safer students feel.

Our goal now, is to use the SLEPHI method to explore other impacts of GSAs, including specific outcomes among ethnic minority LGB youth, and how GSAs effect school connectedness, bullying, and suicide.

Principal investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc

Co-authors: Gu Li, Amery D. Wu, Sheila K. Marshall, Ryan J. Watson, Jones K. Adjei, Minjeong Park, Mauricio Coronel Villalobos

Funded by: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Fostering healthy relationships among LGBTQ2S+ youth in British Columbia

Gender-based violence disproportionately affects people who identify as LGBTQ2S+ and gender non-conforming individuals. Trend analyses of the province-wide BC Adolescent Health Survey tell us that lesbian, gay, or bisexual youth are three to six times more likely to experience dating violence than their straight peers. In addition, our Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey finds trans and non-binary youth report even higher rates of dating violence.

Adolescence is a key time to provide young people with the knowledge and skills to develop healthy relationships that are free from violence and abuse. SARAVYC has partnered with the McCreary Centre Society and their Youth Research Academy to develop, implement, and evaluate a healthy relationship intervention with LGBTQ2S+ youth for LGBTQ2S+ youth in British Columbia.

Objectives

Develop and facilitate education modules

In collaboration with youth, we will develop education modules focused on preventing dating violence for LGBTQ2S+ adolescents. We will pilot the intervention across British Columbia, meeting queer youth in the spaces they tend to frequent— Gender Sexuality Alliance Clubs (GSAs) and LGBTQ2S+ youth community groups. We will then scale up across the country.

The proposed intervention, developed with LGBTQ2S+ youth for LGBTQ2S+ youth, incorporating trauma-informed and culturally safe approaches, should help foster healthier relationships, prevent or reduce dating violence, and in turn, reduce the health inequities faced by LGBTQ2S+ youth as a result of stigma and trauma.

At the completion of these modules, participants will:

• Have greater awareness of dating violence in LGBTQ2S+ relationships
• Be able to identify both dating violence behaviours and healthy relationships
• Experience role playing conflict management and learn effective strategies in relationships
• Define strategies for being effective bystanders and supportive friends to peers in violent dating relationships

Evaluate intervention

We will conduct surveys to evaluate the intervention and its impact on knowledge, motivation to change attitudes, and influence on behaviours that support healthy relationships.

Identify barriers

By interviewing teachers, counselors, and facilitators, we will identify barriers and improvements to support a country-wide intervention. Without these learned lessons, the most effective intervention is limited.

Measure Impact

Using BC Adolescent Health Survey (BCAHS) data from before and after the intervention, we will measure potential shifts in dating violence behavior among LGBTQ2S+ youth.

Deliverables

• An online, downloadable manual (available in English and French)
• Train the Trainer workshops throughout British Columbia
• Infographics about the intervention and its outcomes (available in French and English)
• Peer-reviewed papers
• Pre and post-intervention surveys and interviews

Our team

SARAVYC

The SARAVYC team is led by:

• Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Executive Director
• Dr. Mauricio Colonel Villalobos, Post Doctoral Fellow
• Dr. Monica Rana, Project Manager
• Quantitative and qualitative graduate research assistant

McCreary Centre Society

McCreary Centre Society (MCS) is a non-government, not-for-profit committed to improving the health of BC youth through research, evaluation and community based projects. Our vision is that all youth are supported to be healthy and connected. MCS has extensive experience coordinating youth engagement in research projects relevant to youth in British Columbia. The MCS team is led by:

• Annie Smith, Executive Director
• McCreary Centre facilitators
• Youth Research Academy