The BC AHS is a province-wide survey administered to youth in Grade 7 to 12 that started in 1992 and has been administered every five years since 1998. The survey gives an evidence base of youth health trends, emerging issues, and risk and protective factors for healthy development. Adapted versions of the survey are administered to youth whose experience may not be captured in the BC AHS including youth in custody, and homeless and street-involved youth, and youth in alternative education.
2023 BC Adolescent Health Survey
The next BC AHS will be taking place with students across the province from January to May 2023. Further information will be shared on this page as it becomes available. For any questions about the BC AHS, please contact ahs@mcs.bc.ca.
2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey
Over 38,000 young people aged 12–19 in 58 of BC’s 60 school districts completed the 2018 BC AHS. The survey was developed in consultation with young people, parents, and other experts in youth health. It was extensively pilot tested before being administered by Public Health Nurses and Public Health Resource Nurses to students in mainstream public schools between February and June 2018.
Provincial report
Balance and Connection in BC: The health and well-being of our youth
This report shares provincial findings of the 2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey, which was completed by 38,015 Grade 7-12 students in schools across British Columbia.
Download report / Download PowerPoint
2018 BC AHS Regional Reports (Health Service Delivery Area)
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HSDA 1 - Balance and Connection in the Northwest:
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HSDA 2 - Balance and Connection in the Northeast:
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HSDA 3 - Balance and Connection in the Northern Interior:
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HSDA 4 - Balance and Connection in Thompson Cariboo Shuswap:
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HSDA 5 - Balance and Connection in Okanagan:
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HSDA 6 - Balance and Connection in Kootenay Boundary:
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HSDA 7 - Balance and Connection in East Kootenay:
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HSDA 8 - Balance and Connection in North Vancouver Island:
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HSDA 9 - Balance and Connection in Central Vancouver Island:
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HSDA 10 - Balance and Connection in South Vancouver Island:
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HSDA 11 - Balance and Connection in North Shore/Coast Garibaldi:
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HSDA 12 - Balance and Connection in Vancouver:
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HSDA 13 - Balance and Connection in Richmond:
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HSDA 14 - Balance and Connection in Fraser North:
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HSDA 15 - Balance and Connection in Fraser South:
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HSDA 16 - Balance and Connection in Fraser East:
2018 BC AHS Special Topic Fact Sheets
- A profile of BC youth who work
- Access to health care among youth in BC
- BC youth with depression who missed out on needed mental health services
- BC youth with pregnancy involvement
- BC youth who experienced racial discrimination
- BC youth's access to technology
- BC youth's school commute
- International students in BC
- Risk and protective factors for weapon carrying among South Asian youth in BC
- Parenting youth in BC
- School-based support for BC youth who have experienced abuse
- Supporting BC youth who experience unhealthy eating
- Supporting BC youth who experienced physical and/or sexual abuse
- Supporting BC youth with ADHD
- Supporting positive mental health among refugee youth in BC
- Volunteering among BC youth
- Building school connectedness among urban Indigenous youth in BC
Supporting BC youth poster series
- Supporting BC youth: Nurses
- Supporting BC youth: School counsellors
- Supporting BC youth: School staff
- Supporting BC youth: Social workers
- Supporting BC youth: Teachers
- Supporting BC youth: Youth workers
- Supporting BC youth: Sports coaches
Sports injury and prevention posters
Members of McCreary's Youth Advisory and Action Council created posters about organized sport injuries and injury prevention using 2018 BC AHS data. One poster is aimed at a youth audience and the second is intended for adults who wish to support youth. Both posters are available in English and French.
Download the posters: Poster for youth (English) / Poster for adults (English) / Poster for youth (French) / Poster for adults (French)
SDGs: How are we measuring up?
Canada has committed to implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the federal government has called for reliable data to assess progress towards the goals. This poster shares data from the 2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey which provide some examples of how the health of youth aged 12–19 in the province measures up against 9 of the 17 SDGs.
Download the poster here.