“It makes such a difference”: A examination of how LGBTQ youth talk about personal gender pronouns across North America
ABSTRACT Background and purpose: The World Health Organization has developed standards for youth-friendly health services to support adolescents and encourage health care utilization among youth. Necessary building blocks for youth-friendly care include strong interpersonal relationships between youth and health care providers. Nurse practitioners (NPs) may be particularly well positioned to form these relationships. This study […]
Worsening Perceptions of Family Connectedness and Parent Support for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adolescents
Abstract Objectives Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents often report compromised relations with their families. Given the recent changes in societal attitudes toward LGB individuals, in respect to rights for marriage and other legal statuses, we explore whether or not there has been a change in how LGB and heterosexual adolescents perceive their family relations […]
Supportive families and schools help prevent substance use among transgender youth
Trans youth in Canada face high levels of violence, and this can contribute to substance use. However, research at SARAVYC showed that even when transgender youth experience high levels of violence or discrimination, a supportive family and safe school can make a difference. Specifically, strong family and school connections are helping prevent transgender youth from […]
Risk and protective factors for transgender youths’ substance use
Abstract Research at the intersection of substance use and protective factors among transgender youth is scarce; emerging evidence suggests high risk for substance use for transgender youth. We analyzed data from 323 transgender youth aged 14–18 ( M age = 16.67) to investigate the extent that risk (enacted stigma) and protective factors (support from family, school, friends) […]
Supporting the Health of LGBTQ2S Youth in Canada
The federal government invited briefings regarding the health of LGBTQ2S+ Canadians. As a research centre dedicating to improving health equity among stigmatized and vulnerable youth, we recognized this as a vital opportunity to contribute our expertise and draw attention to the specific needs of LGBTQ2S+ youth in Canada.
Investigating site-level longitudinal effects of population health interventions: Gay-Straight Alliances and school safety
Abstract There is limited research on evaluating nonrandomized population health interventions. We aimed to introduce a new approach for assessing site-level longitudinal effects of population health interventions (SLEPHI) by innovatively applying multiple group multilevel (MG-ML) modeling to repeated cycles of cross-sectional data collected from different individuals of the same sites at different times, a design […]
Primary care access and foregone care: a survey of transgender adolescents and young adults
Abstract Objective: To examine the issues of primary care access and foregone health care among transgender adolescents and young adults. This cross-sectional analysis of data from the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey was conducted online during 2013–2014. Participants included 923 youth aged 14–25 (323 adolescents aged 14–18 and 600 young adults aged 19–25). Main outcome […]
Substance Use among Sexual Minorities: Has it Actually Gotten Better?
Abstract Despite efforts to decrease substance use, rates among sexual minority youth (SMY) remain higher than among heterosexuals. Substance use is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in adulthood, and SMY’s use of substances is related to poorer mental and emotional health. We sought to document the trends in substance use for a large […]
Gay-straight alliances contribute to a safer school climate long-term
New analytical methods show long-term effects, even for straight students Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) help make schools safer for students the longer they are in place, even among straight students, finds new research from the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre at the University of British Columbia. “We found that students’ feelings of safety at […]
A Media-Based School Intervention to Reduce Sexual Orientation Prejudice and Its Relationship to Discrimination, Bullying, and the Mental Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adolescents in Western Canada: A Population-Based Evaluation
Abstract School interventions to address sexual orientation discrimination can be important tools for fostering inclusive school climate, and improving student wellbeing. In this study, we empirically evaluated a film-based intervention, Out in Schools, designed to reduce sexual orientation prejudice and foster inclusive school attitudes. Our evaluation mapped data about Out in Schools presentations onto student […]
