2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey
McCreary Centre Society has released the results of the 2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey.
The BC Adolescent Health Survey (BC AHS) is a questionnaire used to gather information about young people’s physical and emotional health, and about factors that can influence health during adolescence or in later life. The survey is conducted by the McCreary Centre Society in collaboration with the provincial government and public health system, and with the cooperation of BC’s school districts.
Since 1992, over 168,000 students in Grades 7–12 have completed the survey. In 2018, 58 of the 60 BC school districts participated in the BC AHS.
The BC AHS is the most comprehensive source for reliable, accurate and BC-based information about youth health. Survey results are used extensively by schools, communities, government agencies, health professionals and by youth themselves in planning and evaluating programs and services. Because the survey has been in use since 1992, it gives policy makers and program planners the ability to track trends over more than 25 years.
You can learn more and access the report here.
What needs to be in place to provide adequate support to peer researchers?
Pacific AIDS Network has released a checklist that highlights best practices for supporting peer researchers.
In 2015, PAN began the BC people living with HIV Stigma Index (BC Stigma Index), a community-based research (CBR) study to document the experiences of stigma and discrimination from the perspective of people living with HIV (PLHIV). One of the objectives of this study was to “support PLHIV to be Stigma Index leaders & build capacity for PLHIV to participate in research planning and partnership development.” Six peer researchers with HIV lived experience were hired to implement the BC Stigma Index across BC, as well as to participate in data analysis and knowledge translation and exchange activities.
Following the data collection phase, the six peer researchers were interviewed about their experiences of leading and participating in the BC Stigma Index. This checklist outlines questions to consider when working with and supporting peer researchers and provides a summary of lessons that PAN learned from these interviews about supporting peer researchers.
Access PAN’s Checklist for CBR Teams here.
New Leaf Peer Outreach featured in The Georgia Straight
The Georgia Straight published an article featuring New Leaf Outreach. Based out of Nanaimo, New Leaf Outreach is a grassroots coalition engaged in front-line harm reduction efforts such as peer-to-peer counselling and substitution resources.
The article can be read on the Georgia Straight website here.
Little House Society featured in North Delta Reporter
The North Delta Reporter published an article about Little House Society‘s May 2nd community dialogue on alcohol-related harms for moderate risk drinking and it’s April survey.
The article can be read on the North Delta Reporter website here.
Climate strikes & the youth mental health crisis
This anxiety about a pending apocalypse is bad enough. What makes it worse, George says, is the “profound dissonance” young people sense between the seriousness of climate crisis, and the fact that they don’t see adults—their parents, teachers, politicians—doing anything about it.
The National Observer published an article that explores the correlation between climate change and the youth mental health crisis.
You can read the article here.