AHS Reports
2012
Métis youth health report
McCreary’s first ever Métis youth health report is now available. Please click here to download.
Raven's Children III: Aboriginal Youth Health in BC
McCreary's review of the health of Aboriginal youth in BC. The report was overseen by an advisory committee of experts in Aboriginal youth health, and includes data from over 3,000 Aboriginal youth as well as input from more than 100 Aboriginal youth and adults across the province who reviewed the findings.
Using data from the 2008 BC Adolescent Health Survey, the report found many improvements in Aboriginal youth health from 2003, as well as noting differences in the health picture of youth growing up on and off reserve, and areas where improvements can still be made.
Click here to download the media release.
The report launched on March 27th, 2012 at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre.
Fostering Potential: The lives of BC youth with government care experience
McCreary’s report on the lives of BC youth who have been involved in the government care system is now available to download by clicking here.
“Fostering Potential: The lives of BC youth with government care experience” profiles the experiences of these youth and details many protective factors that promote their health and well-being.
Please click here for a copy of the media release.
2011
Making the Right Connections: Promoting positive mental health among BC youth
To download a literature review of community based programs that aim to promote positive mental health among youth in transition into or out of adolescence, please click here.
A series of 8 fact sheets and a 'by youth for youth' summary of the key findings are also available. Please click here for Making the Right Connections factsheets.
Moving in the Right Direction: Physical activity among BC youth
download a copy of Moving in the Right Direction.
Please click here to download the press release.
download a youth friendly version of the findings.
2010
What a difference a year can make: Early alcohol and marijuana use among 16 to 18 year old BC students
This report uses data provided by the 10,000 16 to 18 year olds who completed the 2008 BC Adolescent Health Survey. The study shows that youth are waiting longer than their peers a decade ago to try these substances. It also examines the different health behaviours and outcomes between those who use alcohol or marijuana at 12 and younger and those who wait longer to try these substances.
Webex presentations of the results took place on the 23rd of March 2010 at 3pm and the 25th of March 2010 at 10am.
Drug Use Among 16 to 18 year old BC students
While the use of alcohol and marijuana is widespread among 16-18 year olds the use of other substances is much less common. Those youth who do use these substances are often coping with negative experiences in their lives and need the support of family, schools, peers and their communities.
2009
A Picture of Health: Highlights from the 2008 BC Adolescent Health Survey (AHS IV)
This report provides the results of the fourth Adolescent Health Survey conducted in 1,760 classrooms across 50 of BC's 59 school districts. The 2008 AHS is the largest survey of its kind in Canada and provides the most comprehensive picture of the physical and emotional health of BC youth, including risk and protective factors. The results are used by government, schools, health professionals and community organizations to assist in the planning and evaluation of services, policies and programs for youth.The 2008 AHS shows us that the majority of BC youth are in good health, feeling connected to their family, school and community; and are engaging in health promoting behaviors. However, the results also show that there are some youth in our province who are more vulnerable than others.
To order | Download (6 MB pdf)
Adolescent Health Survey Regional reports:
Following the release of the provincial results of the BC Adolescent Health Survey, analysis of the survey at the Health Survey Delivery Area has now been completed. Data collection across the province was sufficient to allow reports to be published for 14 of the 16 HSDAs in BC. The 14 HSDA report are available in hard copy using this order form, or can be downloaded from the list below:
Adolescent Substance use and related harms in British Columbia
This 8 page bulletin using data from the 2008 Adolescent Health Survey shows that the rates of students using alcohol, marijuana or tobacco have declined over the past decade. The report is a joint publication of McCreary Centre Society and the Centre of Addictions Research of BC.
Download (1.1 MB pdf)
AHS III
Healthy Youth Development: Highlights from the Adolescent Health Survey III
Provincial highlights of the 2003 AHS are presented in this report. The report draws on findings of two previous provincial surveys conducted by McCreary in 1992 and 1998, showing a decade of trends in youth health. The report is based on a comprehensive survey of 30,500 BC students. The survey includes 140 questions on health status, including health promoting practices and behaviours that are harmful to health.
Press release | To order | Download (568 KB pdf)
2007
Not Yet Equal: The Health of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth in BC
Not Yet Equal: The Health of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth in BC takes a closer look at the health of LGB youth, their life experiences, and risk behaviours across all three Adolescent Health Surveys. This report reveals both hopeful and worrying trends, fewer than expected differences between rural and urban LGB youth, and ongoing health disparities for LGB teens compared to their heterosexual peers.
To order | Download (557 KB pdf)
2006
Building Resilience in Vulnerable Youth
This report explores the experiences, risks and health challenges facing vulnerable youth in BC, and describes protective factors that offer hope for helping them build resilience, connections and a positive future.
To order | Download (895 KB pdf)
The Next Steps: BC Youths' Response to the AHS III and Ideas for Action
Over the fall and winter of 2005, McCreary conducted 13 Next Steps workshops in communities all over BC. A summary is available of conversations with youth during these workshops about issues that are important to youth and what they think can be done about them.
To order | Download (1,800 KB pdf)
Promoting healthy bodies: physical activity, weight, and tobacco use among BC youth
Research tells us that physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity and poor nutrition are risk factors that can cause serious and preventable chronic diseases. This report examines the health of BC youth in respect to activity levels, eating habits, and tobacco use.
To order | Download (1,266 KB pdf)
2005
Raven's Children II: Aboriginal Youth Health in BC
Raven's Children II: Aboriginal Youth Health in BC, shows that Aboriginal youth in school in BC are similar in many ways to non-Aboriginal youth. Most Aboriginal students are healthy, feel connected to their families and school, and volunteer in the community.
To order | Download (735 KB pdf)
British Columbia Youth Health Trends: A Retrospective, 1992-2003
Most BC teenagers have good physical and emotional health and do not engage in risky behaviours. Survey data collected over a decade by McCreary contradict many popular misconceptions about increases in drug use, violence, sexual activity and obesity in this age group. Overall, the survey results show a marked stability in most trends. The data reveal no large or alarming shifts in health status or in the prevalence of risky behaviours over the decade. Progress towards improving youth health has been steady, and even those youth in circumstances of high risk demonstrate remarkable resilience.
To order | Download (512 KB pdf)
2004
Regional Reports for AHS III
Regional results from the 2003 Adolescent Health Survey for 14 of the Province's 16 administrative regions are available on McCreary's web site. Regional data are released at the request of schools, professionals and community agencies; those who work with young people have expressed an interest in knowing the survey results as specifically as possible for their region. Regions with reports available are: Northwest; Northern Interior; Thompson Cariboo Shuswap; Okanagan; Kootenay Boundary; East Kootenay; North Vancouver Island; Central Vancouver Island; South Vancouver Island; North Shore/Coast Garibaldi; Vancouver; Richmond; Fraser; and Fraser North.
AHS II
2002
Accenting the Positive: a developmental framework for reducing risk and promoting positive outcomes among BC youth
This report, commissioned by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, supports the premise that provincial strategies to address youth health concerns should be built on a solid understanding of adolescent development and should be positive-rather than punitive- in approach. It provides evidence generated by the AHS II and discusses it's programmatic and policy implications. This report also draws on relevant research literature on adolescence to suggest developmentally based frameworks for future provincial programs. This report is now available for download. Order Report |Download (785 KB)
Violence in Adolescence: injury, suicide, and criminal violence in the lives of BC youth
This special report looks at violence and BC youth and explores death rates due to external causes. The report shows that death rates have dropped 68% among BC's youth population over the last two decades. This decline is most dramatic for motor vehicle crashes, but all categories show some improvement. The study draws from a variety of sources to look at trends in violence, which is broadly defined as all non-medical causes of death and injury, including non-intentional injuries ("accidents"), suicide and intentional trauma related to criminal activity. Order Report
Violated Boundaries: a health profile of adolescents who have been abused
Child abuse constitutes a major public health problem that is associated with a wide range of deleterious effects across multiple domains of functioning. This technical report looks at data from McCreary's Adolescent Health Survey and investigates the relations between experiences of abuse and youth health. Modified versions of the school-based AHS have been administered to high risk groups such as youth in custody and street youth, which allows comparisons between mainstream youth and high risk youth. Order Report