From Hastings Street to Haida Gwaii: School Connectedness ...keltymentalhealth.ca/sites/default/files/saewyckeltysummer... · to Haida Gwaii: School Connectedness and Mental Health.

www.mcs.bc.ca

Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc McCreary Centre Soceity and UBC School of Nursing

From Hastings Street to Haida Gwaii: School Connectedness and Mental Health

www.mcs.bc.ca

2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey

▪ A bit about how the survey is conducted

▪ Trends in mental health among students

▪ School connectedness and school safety

▪ School’s role in positive mental health

▪ Other reports and resources from McCreary

www.mcs.bc.ca

Administration

2013 BC Adolescent Health Survey

▪ 29,832 surveys were completed

▪ 1,645 classrooms

▪ 56 school districts

▪ 325 PHN’s and nursing students

www.mcs.bc.ca

The BC Adolescent Health Survey

▪ 1992

▪ 1998

▪ 2003

▪ 2008

▪ 2013

McCreary Centre Society: www.mcs.bc.ca

www.mcs.bc.ca

Youth in British Columbia in 2013

▪ Increasingly diverse backgrounds

– Only 61% European; Southeast Asian, West Asian, African, South/Central American,

▪ Rise in the percentage of recent immigrants

▪ Decrease in the percentage who spoke English at home (just half)

▪ Less likely to identify as straight

▪ <1% as transgender

www.mcs.bc.ca

Home life

▪ Fewer students living with their parent(s)

▪ 1% currently in a foster home or group home

▪ 9% ran away from home in past year

▪ 1 in 5 moved from one home to another

www.mcs.bc.ca

Young carers

2%

16%

48%

2%

23%

55%

Their own child or children

Another relative (e.g., disabled relative, younger

sibling)

Pets or animals

Who youth took care of on an average school day

Males Females

www.mcs.bc.ca

Health conditions and disabilities

▪ Over a quarter of students had at least one health condition or disability

▪ Females were 3 x more likely to report a mental health condition

▪ For many the condition was debilitating

www.mcs.bc.ca

Trends in Mental Health

www.mcs.bc.ca

Ratings of mental health

3%

11%

38%

49%

6%

18%

43%

33%

Poor Fair Good Excellent

Males Females

www.mcs.bc.ca

Suicide

Males

▪ 8% considered suicide

▪ 3% attempted suicide

Females

▪ 17% considered suicide

▪ 9% attempted suicide

www.mcs.bc.ca

Exposure to suicide is common

▪ 13% reported a family member had

attempted suicide at some point

▪ 23% had a close friend who had

attempted suicide

▪ These were both more common in rural

areas

www.mcs.bc.ca

Non-Suicidal Self-Harm

8%

22%

Males Females

In the Past Year

www.mcs.bc.ca

Non-Suicidal Self Harm

42%

32%

9%

18%

29% 27%

12%

32%

Once 2-3 times 4-5 times 6 or more times

Times students self-harmed (among those who self-harmed in the past year)

Males

Females

www.mcs.bc.ca

Other mental health concerns

7%

4% 5%

4%

13% 13%

ADHD Anxiety Disorder/Panic

attacks

Depression

Most commonly reported mental health conditions

Males Females

3% 3% 4%

5% 6%

7%

10%

4%

7%

13%

15%

17% 17% 17%

0%

10%

20%

12 years old or

younger

13 14 15 16 17 18 years old

Extreme stress by age

Males Females

www.mcs.bc.ca

Feeling sad, discouraged or hopeless in the past month

▪ Very common: 52% of youth said they felt that way at least sometime during the month

▪ Students 14+ more likely in 2013 than 2008 to report extreme sadness and hopelessness, so much they could not function

www.mcs.bc.ca

Foregone mental health care

▪ Male students were less likely to forego needed care but no improvement for females

– 17% of females, 5% of males missed needed mental or emotional health care

▪ Most common reason was not wanting parents to know (64% females, 57% males)

– Rural students less likely to have services available

– North and Interior students because no transportation

www.mcs.bc.ca

Getting enough sleep

49%

35%

26%

20%

15% 14% 12%

0%

30%

60%

12 years old or

younger

13 14 15 16 17 18 years old

Slept nine or more hours last night

www.mcs.bc.ca

Mental health and sleep

52%

62%

71%

80% 87%

91% 91%

0%

50%

100%

4 hours or less

5 6 7 8 9 10 hours or more

Go

od

/excell

en

t m

en

tal h

ealt

h

www.mcs.bc.ca

Positive Trends: Decreases in substance use

58% 54%

45%

37%

30% 26% 34%

26% 21%

0%

35%

70%

2003 2008 2013

Ever tried different substances

Alcohol Marijuana Tobacco

www.mcs.bc.ca

Using other substances

2013 Change since

2008

Prescription pills without a doctor’s

consent 11%

Cocaine 3%

Hallucinogens 6%

Mushrooms 5%

Amphetamines 2%

Inhalants 2%

Heroin 1%

Steroids without a doctor’s consent 1%

www.mcs.bc.ca

School Connectedness

www.mcs.bc.ca

School Connectedness: What is it?

▪ School connectedness is a key asset or protective factor

▪ Teachers & school staff care about you, respect students & each other

▪ That you are safe at school, are part of your school, that you belong at school

www.mcs.bc.ca

School safety increased

83%

63% 66%

85%

71%

56%

94% 88% 90%

96% 91% 87%

Classroom Washrooms Hallways Library Cafeteria Outside on school

property

Always or usually felt safe at school

2008 2013

www.mcs.bc.ca

Less harassment and discrimination

▪ Fewer youth had been verbally or physically sexually harassed

▪ However, 36% had been discriminated against in the past year

▪ Dating violence decreased from 2008

www.mcs.bc.ca

Increases in some forms of bullying

30% 28%

31%

39% 37%

43%

0%

25%

50%

2003 2008 2013

Males and females who were teased at school in the past year

Males Females

www.mcs.bc.ca

Cyberbullying decreased

12%

15%

18%

15% 15%

12% 11%

0%

10%

20%

12 years old or

younger

13 14 15 16 17 18 years old

Youth who were cyber bullied in the past year

www.mcs.bc.ca

Schools’ Role in Mental Health

www.mcs.bc.ca

School connectedness

0%

25%

50%

Low High

School connectedness

Considered suicide in past year

www.mcs.bc.ca

Who do youth ask for help? In past year, from:

▪ Friends 73%

▪ Family 69%

▪ Teacher 41%

▪ School counselor 27%

▪ Doctor 25%

▪ Sports coach 23%

▪ Friend’s parent 18%

▪ Other school staff 16%

▪ Nurse 10%

▪ Telephone help line 4%

www.mcs.bc.ca

When teachers are asked for help…

28%

48%

Helpful Not Helpful

Suicide attempt in past year

(Among those with mental health condition)

56 school district data tables

16 HSDA reports Growing Up in

BC

Sexual health report

Youth resources

Using the Data

www.mcs.bc.ca

Youth are generally making better choices about their health, but mental health and bullying are among the areas where there have been fewer improvements. Promoting protective factors like school safety and school connectedness continue to play a key role in improving outcomes for BC youth

www.mcs.bc.ca

[email protected]

From Hastings Street to Haida Gwaii www.mcs.bc.ca