A Picture of Health: Highlights from the 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey

1. A Picture of Health: Highlights from the 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey McCreary Centre Society www.mcs.bc.ca

2. Survey Administration • Administration took place in Grade 7-12 classes in 50 of the 59 BC School Districts. • Over 29 000 surveys were collected in 1,760 classrooms between February and June 2008. • HSDA 11 “I am happy to see a survey like this one. It’s about time questions were being asked. Now I am hoping to see some positive actions.” BC Youth Participant

3. Provincial Key Findings A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

4. Provincial Key Findings • Most students are doing well; nearly all 84% report good or excellent health • Serious injuries have declined • 18% of females, 7% of males did not get mental health services they needed • Nearly half did not eat the recommended servings of fruits or vegetables yesterday

5. Provincial Key Findings • No change in physical activity: only 1 in 4 males, 1 in 10 females exercise every day • Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are lower for the first time since 1992 • More than 1 in 5 females, 1 in 10 males reported deliberate self-harm

6. Provincial Key Findings • Far fewer youth smoke than a decade ago, and those who do started at older ages • Alcohol and marijuana use lower • Fewer students had ever used cocaine, amphetamines, or mushrooms, continuing declines since 1998 • But use of some other drugs, including hallucinogens like LSD, rose

7. Provincial Key Findings • Relationship violence is unchanged since 2003; 9% of males, 6% of females • Pregnancy rates also stable, less than 2% • Reversing trends in physical and sexual abuse, after declines since 1992 • Protective factors can help even the most vulnerable youth overcome risks

8. Provincial Key Findings Most BC teens are doing well, and report healthier behaviours than students 10 years ago

9. Home and Family North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

10. Home and Family

11. Home and Family

12. School and Work North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

13. School and Work • 65% of students liked school “somewhat” • Females more likely than males to like school “very much” (24% vs. 18%) • Grade 7’s showed highest school connectedness vs. Grades 9-11 the lowest

14. Physical Health North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

15. Health status • 88% reported good or excellent health, consistent with results over the past decade. • 8% of youth reported a debilitating health condition or disability.

16. Access to Medical Care • 13% of students did not get medical help when they felt they needed it. • Some reasons for not seeking help • Thought or hoped problem would go away (57%) • Afraid of what doctor would say or do (18%) • Did not want parents to know (17%)

17. Nutrition • 43% youth fell short of the recommended daily portions of fruits and vegetables.

18. Weight and Body Image • 20% of males and 12% of females were very satisfied with their body image – an increase since 2003.

19. Weight and Body Image

20. Mental and Emotional Health North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

21. Mental and Emotional Health

22. Mental and Emotional Health Most common reasons for not accessing mental health services (among youth who felt they needed them)

23. Mental and Emotional Health Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts: • Family or friend suicide attempts (16% vs. 2%) • Sexual abuse (22% vs. 3%) • Physical abuse (14% vs. 2%) • Aboriginal status (9% vs. 4%) • Obesity (10% vs. 4%)

24. Sexual Behaviour North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

25. Sexual Behaviour • 78% of youth never had sexual intercourse • Most common reasons for not having sex: • Waiting to meet the right person (51%) • Not ready for sex (50%) • Don’t want to get pregnant /cause a pregnancy (37%) • Among those who had sex: • Most commonly started at age 15 • 15% first had sex before age 14

26. Sexual Behaviour: Birth Control • Condoms: 60% • Birth control pills: 55% (same as 2003 rate; above BC rate - 46%) • Only withdrawal: 5% • Emergency contraception: 6% 4% of sexually active students have been pregnant or caused a pregnancy

27. Smoking North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

28. Smoking

29. Substance Use North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

30. Substance Use

31. Substance Use • † Difference between 2008 HSDA and provincial estimates was statistically significant.

32. Substance Use  Difference between 2003 and 2008 HSDA estimates was statistically significant.

33. Abuse and Violence North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

34. Abuse and Violence Note: The gender difference was not statistically significant for physical abuse.

35. Sport and Leisure North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

36. Sport and Leisure

37. Sport and Leisure

38. Protective Factors North Shore/Coast Garibaldi – A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

39. Protective Factors • Having protective factors in their lives can promote health and reduce the negative effect of some risk behaviours. • Protective factors in AHS • School (e.g., school connectedness) • Family (e.g., family connectedness) • Community • Connected to culture/ethnic group • Youth engagement in activities • Peer prosocial attitudes about risky behaviours • Friends would disapprove of teen getting pregnant, getting drunk, beating someone up, etc.

40. Protective Factors: Family and School Connectedness

41. Protective Factors:Youth Engagement

42. Protective Factors:Vulnerable Youth

43. North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Key Findings A Picture of Health www.mcs.bc.ca

44. North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Key Findings • As in 2003, 88% of local youth reported their health as good or excellent. This was higher than the provincial rate of 84%, largely due to the higher percentage of females who reported their health as excellent • In the past year, 32% of students in this area were injured seriously enough to need medical attention. • Among students in this area who cycled in the past year, 32% always wore a bike helmet (compared to the provincial rate of 24%) and 23% never wore one (compared to the provincial rate of 35%). • Ten percent of students reported seriously considering suicide in the past year, which was lower than the provincial rate of 12%, and a decrease from 14% in this area in 2003.

45. North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Key Findings • Twenty percent of students had been exposed to second hand smoke inside their home or vehicle, compared to the provincial rate of 28%. • Among students who had tried alcohol, 5% had first done so before the age of 9 (compared to 7% provincially), and 48% waited until they were 13 or 14 years old (compared to 42% provincially). • Thirty-two percent of local students had tried marijuana. This was a decrease from 43% in 2003, and mirrored the decrease seen in the province as a whole.

46. Additional Resources A Picture of Health

47. Also available • Provincial and 14 regional reports and power points • Additional in-depth topic reports (e.g. substance use) • Fact sheets on key topics • ‘Next Steps’ workshops for youth and other youth resources

48. For more information McCreary Centre Society 3552 East Hastings Street Vancouver V5K 2A7 mccreary@mcs.bc.ca 604 291 1996