sexual health

Is cultural connectedness a protective factor? [abstract]

Purpose: Given growing ethno-cultural diversity, a sense of cultural connection may be a key factor in risk prevention and health promotion for North American youth. We studied the psychometric properties of a cultural connectedness measure and its utility as a protective factor. Methods: Over 29,000 grade 7-12 students from diverse ethnic groups took part in […]

Best Practices for Asking Questions about Sexual Orientation on Surveys

In 2003 the Ford Foundation began funding a multi-year project that sought to increase the quantity and quality of data on gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, and, by extension, on heterosexual people. Over a five-year period, many researchers participated in the expert panel funded by the grant, thus contributing to the knowledge embodied in this […]

Factors associated with pregnancy and STI among Aboriginal students in British Columbia

Abstract Background: Aboriginal adolescents are more likely to become pregnant and contract an STI than other Canadian adolescents. This study provides some of the first data on factors associated with these outcomes among Aboriginal adolescents. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using 2003 data from a large cross-sectional survey of British Columbia secondary school students. […]

Factors Associated With the Sexual Behavior of Canadian Aboriginal Young People and Their Implications for Health Promotion

Abstract Objectives. We examined factors associated with having ever had sex, having more than 1 lifetime sexual partner, and condom nonuse at last incident of sexual intercourse among Canadian Aboriginal young people. Methods. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the 2003 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey of young people in grades 7 […]

Out Yonder: Sexual-Minority Adolescents in Rural Communities in British Columbia

Abstract Objectives: We compared sexual-minority adolescents living in rural communities with their peers in urban areas in British Columbia, exploring differences in emotional health, victimization experiences, sexual behaviors, and substance use. Methods: We analyzed a population-based sample of self-identified lesbian, gay, or bisexual respondents from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey of 2003 (weighted n = 6905). […]

Stigma management? The links between enacted stigma and teen pregnancy trends among gay, lesbian, and bisexual students in British Columbia

Abstract Over the past decade, several large-scale school-based studies of adolescents in Canada and the U.S. have documented health disparities for lesbian, gay and bisexual teens compared to their heterosexual peers, such as higher rates of suicide attempts, homelessness, and substance use. Many of these disparities have been linked to “enacted stigma,” or the higher […]