Sexual minority youth continue to smoke cigarettes earlier and more often than heterosexuals: Findings from population-based data
Abstract Background: An established body of research documents that sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, and bisexual) populations are at higher risk for several adverse health behaviors and outcomes compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Smoking is one behavior where the gap is especially large, particularly among youth. Researchers have increasingly drawn attention to contextual determinants of […]
Evidence of changing patterns in mental health and depressive symptoms for sexual minority adolescents
Abstract Depression, sadness, low self-esteem, and self-harm affect a substantial number of young people in North America. However, the prevalence of these symptoms has been found to be consistently higher for sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) populations. In this study, we traced the trends and disparities in mental health, including self-harm, forgone mental health […]
Disordered eating behaviors among transgender youth: Probability profiles from risk and protective factors
Abstract Purpose Research has documented high rates of disordered eating for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth, but prevalence and patterns of disordered eating among transgender youth remain unexplored. This is despite unique challenges faced by this group, including gender‐related body image and the use of hormones. We explore the relationship between disordered eating and risk […]
Homeless & Street-Involved Indigenous LGBTQ2S Youth in British Columbia: Intersectionality, Challenges, Resilience & Cues for Action
Street-involved youth and youth experiencing homelessness in Canada are disproportionately likely to be Indigenous: while the Canadian census estimates about 6% of youth in Canada are Indigenous, previous multi-city surveys of street-involved youth and youth experiencing homelessness in Western Canada have found more than half identify as Aboriginal, First Nations, Inuit or Métis. The authors’ […]
Boys are not exempt: Sexual exploitation of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract Research on youth sexual exploitation in Africa has largely neglected the experiences of exploited boys. To date, much of the research in sub-Saharan Africa continues to consider boys mainly as exploiters but not as exploited. Using the only publicly available population-based surveys from the National Survey of Adolescents, conducted in four sub-Saharan African countries […]
Being Safe, Being Me in the Prairie Provinces: Results of the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey in Saskatchewan & Manitoba
This regional report is a part of a larger project, The Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey. Researchers from universities and other organizations in Canada created the survey, which was administered online to 923 participants across Canada, with 67 respondents coming from the Prairie Provinces (Saskatchewan & Manitoba). Two different surveys were distributed: one to younger […]
Helping Young People Stay Afloat: A Qualitative Study of Community Resources and Supports for LGBTQ Adolescents in the United States and Canada
Abstract LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of poor health outcomes. This qualitative study gathered data from LGBTQ adolescents regarding their communities and describes the resources they draw on for support. We conducted 66 go-along interviews with diverse LGBTQ adolescents (mean age = 16.6) in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and British Columbia in 2014–2015, in which interviewers accompanied participants […]
Being Safe, Being Me in Alberta: Results of the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey
The Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey was a national online survey conducted by researchers from several Canadian universities and community organizations. This report is focused specifically on trans youth who live in Alberta, who made up 12% of the total respondents nation-wide. The survey included somewhat different questions for younger (14-18 years) and older (19-25 […]
Being Safe, Being Me in Ontario: Results of the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey
The Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey was a national online survey conducted by researchers from several Canadian universities and community organizations. The survey included somewhat different questions for younger (14-18 years) and older (19-25 years) trans youth about a wide range of life experiences and behaviours that influence young people’s health. This report is focused […]