This research was conducted in partnership with a Nova Scotain Mi’kmaq (First Nation) community that was interested in learning more about how exposure to violence (EV) might be related to youth alcohol use. There are many consequences of childhood exposure to violence (EV), but two of the more notable consequences of EV are posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and excessive or problematic alcohol misuse. Given the strong relationship in the literature between each of the PTS symptom clusters and alcohol problems, it was hypothesized that these symptom clusters would mediate the relationship between EV and alcohol misuse. Study 1 demonstrated that PTS hyperarousal symptoms, but none of the other PTS symptoms, fully mediated the relationship between EV and alcohol misuse, even after controlling for depressive symptoms, age and gender. The literature on EV also demonstrates that despite its numerous potential negative consequences, some youth continue to thrive. This thriving in the face of hardship is called resilience. Study 2 employed a direct measure of resilience (Child and Youth Resilience Measure; Ungar et al, 2008) to examine which if any aspects of resilience can successfully buffer youth from experiencing negative mental health consequences after EV. Study 2 demonstrated that all three aspects of resilience (i.e., individual, family, and community) moderated the relationship between EV and PTS reexperiencing symptoms. More specifically, at higher levels of resilience, the positive relationship between EV and PTS reexperiencing symptoms was dampened. Study 3 documented the collaborative-research process from beginning (i.e., research question formation) to end (i.e., implementation of action-based recommendations). It highlighted how the research questions outlined in Studies 1 and 2 were relevant to both the specific community in question, as well as some Aboriginal communities more broadly. It also highlighted how the first author participated in a research process that is described by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) as Integrated Knowledge Translation (KT). And finally, it identified via qualitative and quantitative methods how the research process as a whole has helped equip the community with more tools to tackle the problems that its members have identified as important for study and change.

The physical and social environments of a neighbourhood can cause and/or reduce stress for residents. However, we know relatively little about the neighbourhood-level stressors and stress-relievers experienced by adolescents, and in particular adolescent girls. This study explores how adolescent girls (15-17 years) living in one neighbourhood in Halifax, Nova Scotia perceive key characteristics of their neighbourhood’s environments as affecting and/or reducing their stress. Using a qualitative methodology, data were collected from eight participants using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Photo elicitation technique was also used for data collection. A key finding of this research was that participants experience a strong ‘sense of community’ within their neighbourhood that makes a significant contribution to their stress relief. At the same time, participants reported a number of neighbourhood-level forces that are threatening this sense of community including violence, conflicts, and stigma. This study demonstrates the complexity of the relationship between neighbourhood-level characteristics and residents’ stress.

This cross-sectional study examines data from the 2008-2009 Youth Smoking Survey among never, current and former smoking grade 9-12 students using logistic regression. Path analysis examining correlates of former from current smoking was conducted for females and males. Former smokers represent a distinct, often intermediary, group of students between current and never smokers. Former smokers have similarities with current smokers on individual factors but more closely resemble never smokers on social and environmental factors. Among females, social factors were most influential; whereas environmental and individual factors played more of a role in male smoking cessation. These results further describe youth who quit smoking. The strong effects from social factors suggest the importance of family and peer support for quitting. These findings inform the development of youth cessation programming by providing a target profile and highlighting areas for intervention focus.

The symptoms of adolescent depression are often dismissed as quirks of the age—increased irritability or agitation, lack of concentration, frequent complaints, sleep disturbances, eating disturbances, decrease in grades or missed assignments. The impact of these symptoms reaches deeply into the both the academic and social lives of these adolescents. Exercise is beginning to emerge as a potential alternative to standard drug treatment for depression; however, very little research has been conducted with adolescents. The purpose of this case study is to describe the experiences (thoughts, feelings and actions) of four adolescent males with symptoms of depression from multiple perspectives, while they were participating in a daily aerobic exercise program. Throughout an eight-week program of daily three-on-three basketball scrimmages led by the researcher, four “at risk” boys aged 10-13 were invited to describe their experiences: their thoughts, feelings, attitudes and their beliefs about their social and academic life. Their parents and teachers also shared their perspectives through questionnaires, interviews and informal conversations. Researcher observations and field notes made by the researcher throughout the school day, in addition to the other data were used in a cross-case analysis to develop an understanding of exercise and its effects on the social, emotional, and academic lives of these boys. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-12-16 10:16:52.226

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Adolescent pregnancy is an important public health issue. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine factors related to inadequate use of prenatal care (PNC) among adolescents living in inner-city Winnipeg. The quantitative component consisted of a secondary analysis of data from 92 adolescents (<20 years of age) who participated in a larger case-control study. Adolescents who were of First Nations ethnicity, single, multiparous, and who had low interpersonal support were more likely to receive inadequate PNC. Barriers, facilitators and motivators to PNC utilization were also identified. The qualitative component consisted of open-ended interviews with ten inner-city pregnant adolescents to examine how social support affected their use of PNC. Results showed that material, emotional and informational support were important factors affecting use of PNC. The most important source of material and emotional support was the adolescent’s mother, and the main source of informational support was the PNC provider.

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and adolescents have the highest incidence. To decrease the burden of HPV and HPV-associated cancers, two vaccines were developed and require a 3 dose series. This study assesses factors that may predict whether a teen will either initiate or complete the vaccine series. Methods National Immunization Survey -Teen 2011 data was used to assess demographic (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) and socioeconomic (poverty and insurance status) factors as they related to vaccine initiation and completion. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine strength of association. Results Females were more likely than males to initiate and complete the series. Compared to whites, Hispanic teens were 1.5 times more likely to initiate but less likely to complete. Blacks were least likely to complete. Teens below the poverty line were more likely to initiate compared to teens above poverty but less likely to complete. Teens with at least one form of health insurance were 1.2 times more likely to complete than those with no insurance. Conclusion HPV vaccination rates are increasing and need to continue to do so. Emphasis needs to be placed on completing the series to confer complete resistance. This is especially true for blacks and Hispanics who are at a higher risk of HPV-related morbidities.

There is a paucity of research about the uptake and utilisation of antenatal care by pregnant adolescents in New Zealand. Media coverage, public perceptions and societal values often presume that adolescents when compared to other women, generally initiate antenatal care if at all and have adverse outcomes related to pregnancy, such as low birth weight and preterm deliveries compared to other woman. This research aims to assess the variations that may exist in the utilisation of and outcomes from antenatal care maternity services for adolescents compared to the pregnant adult population in Christchurch, between 1st July 2004 and the 30th June 2005.