91福利

Project Leads

Elizabeth Saewyc

Team Members
Mauricio Coronel Villalobos; Monica Rana; Shams MF Al-Anzi; Ren茅e Woodward; Daniel Ji

Cluster: Immigrant Adolescent and Youth Health

Migrant youth mental health is shaped by settlement stress, racism, stigma, family expectations, and access to culturally safe support. This project examines trends in mental health outcomes among migrant and Canadian-born youth to identify inequities and inform culturally grounded youth mental health supports.

The objective of this project is to examine mental health trends among migrant adolescents in British Columbia, compare outcomes with Canadian-born peers, and identify how gender or sex, sexual orientation, region of origin, migration-related experiences, racism, and youth perspectives help explain patterns. The project aims to produce manuscripts, community-friendly summaries, infographics, and dissemination activities that can support culturally responsive mental health policy and practice.

1. What are the 20-year trends in mental health outcomes among migrant youth in British Columbia compared to their Canadian-born peers, disaggregated by gender or sex, sexual orientation, and region of origin?
2. Are disparities in sexual and mental health improving or worsening over time? Specifically, are the gaps between migrant youth and Canadian-born youth narrowing, widening, or remaining unchanged? What correlates and social determinants help explain health inequities in mental health among migrant youth populations, especially LGBTQ+ migrant youth, racialized migrant youth, and refugee youth?

This project analyzes data from three main sources: the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey (BCAHS), the Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey (CTYHS), and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Analyses will examine  mental health outcomes across available survey waves and compare migrant youth with Canadian-born peers, disaggregated by gender or sex, sexual orientation, and region of origin where possible. Analyses will also examine correlates and social determinants that may help explain health inequities among migrant youth populations, especially LGBTQ+ migrant youth, racialized migrant youth, and refugee youth. These may include discrimination, violence, social support and school connectedness, family and neighbourhood support, access to health care, deprivation, and food insecurity. Findings will be interpreted through migrant youth advisory discussion.

• Migrant Youth Advisory Group.

Ongoing. 

Migrant youth; Mental health; Sexual health; Stress; Stigma; Youth advisory