CJHS Abstracts: Vol 19(4) 2010

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality (CJHS)

Volume 19, Number 4, 2010
Sexual health research for and with urban youth: The Toronto Teen Survey story Sarah Flicker¹, Robb Travers²³, Susan Flynn4, June Larkin5, Adrian Guta³, Roxana Salehi¹, Jason D. Pole³6, and Crystal Layne4 ¹ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON ² Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON ³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON 4 Planned Parenthood Toronto, Toronto, ON 5 Women and Gender Studies/Equity Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON 6 Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario; Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON This article provides an overview of the development and implementation of the Toronto Teen Survey (TTS). The TTS was a partnership between Planned Parenthood Toronto and a network of academic researchers. The primary objective of the TTS was to assess the sexual health education needs and service access barriers among youth living in one of the most ethno-racially diverse cities in the world. The TTS used a community-based research approach that involved youth as full partners in the project (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 133-144). Sexual behaviour profile of a diverse group of urban youth: An analysis of the Toronto Teen Survey Jason D. Pole¹, Sarah Flicker², and the Toronto Teen Survey Team ¹ Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto & Adjunct Scientist, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON ² Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON The objective of this study was to document the sexual behaviour of an ethnoculturally diverse sample of 1,200 urban youth and to assess the association of their experience of 11 behaviours with such factors as age, gender, immigration, race, religion, location of sexual education and sexual orientation. Grouping of these behaviours into three “risk” categories also permitted a similar assessment based on the “highest” risk category that youth had experienced. The descriptive and statistical findings in relation to race, religion, immigration status, and sexual orientation provide a basis for strengthening sexual health programming for urban youth. They also highlight the need to pay close attention to issues of vulnerability and stereotyping when reflecting on who is and is not engaging in various sexual behaviours (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 145-156). Predictors of exposure to sexual health education among teens who are newcomers to Canada Roxana Salehi¹, Sarah Flicker¹, and the Toronto Teen Survey Team ¹ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON The aim of this component of the Toronto Teen Survey was to explore predictors of access to sexual health education among urban youth with a focus on newcomers to Canada. A total of 1216 teens were surveyed through community-based agencies. The sample was diverse in terms of age, gender, race, language, religion, length of residency in Canada, and sexual behaviour. Most participants (65%) were born in Canada with 33% born elsewhere. The one third of those born elsewhere (11% of the total sample) who reported living in Canada for three years or less were identified as “newcomers” for the purposes of this analysis. Overall, 92% of the total sample indicated that they had received some sexual health education through classes or workshops and 8% said they had received no such education. Controlling for gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and sexual experience, all youth not born in Canada were significantly less likely to report having received sexual health education than those born in Canada. Within this group, 81.2% of those identified as newcomer youth had received some sexual health education compared to 91.8% for youth who had been in Canada longer and 93.7% for Canadian born youth (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010, 19: 157-168). Exposure to and desire for sexual health education among urban youth: Associations with religion and other factors Natalie Causarano¹, Jason D. Pole², Sarah Flicker³, and the Toronto Teen Survey Team ¹ Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON ² Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto & Adjunct Scientist, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto. ON ³ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON This study utilized data from the Toronto Teen Survey to examine the sexual health topics that respondents had received information about and the topics they did or did not want to learn more about. Given the diverse sample of youth participating in the study, we placed particular emphasis in the current analysis on associations between religious affiliation and having received information on eight different sexual health topics, and the desire to learn more about the same topics. Overall, there were few associations of religious affiliation with either topics youth had received information about or with topics they wanted to learn more. Protestant youth were more likely than those with no religious affiliation to have received information about sexually transmitted infections. Muslim youth were less likely to express a desire to learn more about sexual health than those identifying no religion. Gender and age differences in sexual health topics that youth had received information about and topics they wanted to learn more about were also examined (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010, 19: 169-184). Obstacles to sexual health services for youth: Service providers’ perspectives Emily van der Meulen¹, Vanessa Oliver², Sarah Flicker³, Robb Travers4 and the Toronto Teen Survey Team ¹ Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON ² Department of Sociology, Mt. Allison University, Sackville, NB ³ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON 4 Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON In 2006/2007, the Toronto Teen Survey investigated barriers and facilitators to youth (ages 13 to 18+) access to sexual health services. The results of the surveys were presented to 13 focus groups of 80 service providers (SPs) from 55 agencies around the Greater Toronto Area. Funding and resource allocation were seen as primary barriers to providing adequate sexual health promotion and services. Coding and analysis of focus group transcripts identified two primary categories of concern: (1) Distribution and Amount of Resources (including lack of funding, length of funding agreements, and increased competition for scarce financial resources among service providing organizations and agencies); and (2) Resources for Specific Services (including peer education, translation services, and targeting specific populations of youth). SPs recommendations for change included: approachable staff; school-based outreach; increased accessibility and visibility; peer-to-peer outreach; increased and constant funding; and sharing and partnerships among SPs. Implications for the improvement of youth sexual health services and promotion are discussed (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 185-190). Service provider views on issues and needs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth Robb Travers¹²³, Adrian Guta³, Sarah Flicker4, June Larkin5, Chase Lo4, Sarah McCardell4, Emily van der Meulen², and the Toronto Teen Survey Team6 ¹ Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON ² Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON ³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON 4 Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON 5 Women and Gender Studies/Equity Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON 6 Planned Parenthood Toronto, Toronto, ON Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth require appropriate, effective, and accessible sexual health services. Sexual minority youth living in large urban, multicultural cities have a complex range of service needs. As part of the Toronto Teen Survey, focus groups were conducted with 80 service providers from 55 agencies in the Greater Toronto Area to elicit their input concerning the changing service needs of LGBT youth, their increasing complexity as a client group, and obstacles to working effectively with them. Issues that arose in the focus groups included addressing the needs of LGBT youth across a large city that includes suburban areas, the need to address the specific service needs of transgender youth, and the intersection of racial and ethno-cultural diversity with sexual orientation. Service provider recommendations focused on the need for improved education and training and policy change at the agency level (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 191-198.

Volume 19, Number 4, 2010

Sexual health research for and with urban youth: The Toronto Teen Survey story

Sarah Flicker¹, Robb Travers²³, Susan Flynn4, June Larkin5, Adrian Guta³, Roxana
Salehi¹, Jason D. Pole³6, and Crystal Layne4

¹ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON
² Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON
4 Planned Parenthood Toronto, Toronto, ON
5 Women and Gender Studies/Equity Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
6 Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario; Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON

This article provides an overview of the development and implementation of the Toronto Teen Survey (TTS). The TTS was a partnership between Planned Parenthood Toronto and a network of academic researchers. The primary objective of the TTS was to assess the sexual health education needs and service access barriers among youth living in one of the most ethno-racially diverse cities in the world. The TTS used a community-based research approach that involved youth as full partners in the project (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 133-144).

Sexual behaviour profile of a diverse group of urban youth: An analysis of the Toronto Teen Survey

Jason D. Pole¹, Sarah Flicker², and the Toronto Teen Survey Team
¹ Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto & Adjunct Scientist, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON
² Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON

The objective of this study was to document the sexual behaviour of an ethnoculturally diverse sample of 1,200 urban youth and to assess the association of their experience of 11 behaviours with such factors as age, gender, immigration, race, religion, location of sexual education and sexual orientation. Grouping of these behaviours into three “risk” categories also permitted a similar assessment based on the “highest” risk category that youth had experienced. The descriptive and statistical findings in relation to race, religion, immigration status, and sexual orientation provide a basis for strengthening sexual health programming for urban youth. They also highlight the need to pay close attention to issues of vulnerability and stereotyping when reflecting on who is and is not engaging in various sexual behaviours (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 145-156).

Predictors of exposure to sexual health education among teens who are newcomers to Canada

Roxana Salehi¹, Sarah Flicker¹, and the Toronto Teen Survey Team

¹ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON

The aim of this component of the Toronto Teen Survey was to explore predictors of access to sexual health education among urban youth with a focus on newcomers to Canada. A total of 1216 teens were surveyed through community-based agencies. The sample was diverse in terms of age, gender, race, language, religion, length of residency in Canada, and sexual behaviour. Most participants (65%) were born in Canada with 33% born elsewhere. The one third of those born elsewhere (11% of the total sample) who reported living in Canada for three years or less were identified as “newcomers” for the purposes of this analysis. Overall, 92% of the total sample indicated that they had received some sexual health education through classes or workshops and 8% said they had received no such education. Controlling for gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and sexual experience, all youth not born in Canada were significantly less likely to report having received sexual health education than those born in Canada. Within this group, 81.2% of those identified as newcomer youth had received some sexual health education compared to 91.8% for youth who had been in Canada longer and 93.7% for Canadian born youth (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010, 19: 157-168).

Exposure to and desire for sexual health education among urban youth: Associations with religion and other factors

Natalie Causarano¹, Jason D. Pole², Sarah Flicker³, and the Toronto Teen Survey Team

¹ Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON
² Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto & Adjunct Scientist, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto. ON
³ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON

This study utilized data from the Toronto Teen Survey to examine the sexual health topics that respondents had received information about and the topics they did or did not want to learn more about. Given the diverse sample of youth participating in the study, we placed particular emphasis in the current analysis on associations between religious affiliation and having received information on eight different sexual health topics, and the desire to learn more about the same topics. Overall, there were few associations of religious affiliation with either topics youth had received information about or with topics they wanted to learn more. Protestant youth were more likely than those with no religious affiliation to have received information about sexually transmitted infections. Muslim youth were less likely to express a desire to learn more about sexual health than those identifying no religion. Gender and age differences in sexual health topics that youth had received information about and topics they wanted to learn more about were also examined (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010, 19: 169-184).

Obstacles to sexual health services for youth: Service providers’ perspectives

Emily van der Meulen¹, Vanessa Oliver², Sarah Flicker³, Robb Travers4 and the
Toronto Teen Survey Team

¹ Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON
² Department of Sociology, Mt. Allison University, Sackville, NB
³ Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON
4 Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON

In 2006/2007, the Toronto Teen Survey investigated barriers and facilitators to youth (ages 13 to 18+) access to sexual health services. The results of the surveys were presented to 13 focus groups of 80 service providers (SPs) from 55 agencies around the Greater Toronto Area. Funding and resource allocation were seen as primary barriers to providing adequate sexual health promotion and services. Coding and analysis of focus group transcripts identified two primary categories of concern: (1) Distribution and Amount of Resources (including lack of funding, length of funding agreements, and increased competition for scarce financial resources among service providing organizations and agencies); and (2) Resources for Specific Services (including peer education, translation services, and targeting specific populations of youth). SPs recommendations for change included: approachable staff; school-based outreach; increased accessibility and visibility; peer-to-peer outreach; increased and constant funding; and sharing and partnerships among SPs. Implications for the improvement of youth sexual health services and promotion are discussed (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 185-190).

Service provider views on issues and needs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth

Robb Travers¹²³, Adrian Guta³, Sarah Flicker4, June Larkin5, Chase Lo4, Sarah McCardell4, Emily van der Meulen², and the Toronto Teen Survey Team6

¹ Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON
² Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
4 Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto, ON
5 Women and Gender Studies/Equity Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
6 Planned Parenthood Toronto, Toronto, ON

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth require appropriate, effective, and accessible sexual health services. Sexual minority youth living in large urban, multicultural cities have a complex range of service needs. As part of the Toronto Teen Survey, focus groups were conducted with 80 service providers from 55 agencies in the Greater Toronto Area to elicit their input concerning the changing service needs of LGBT youth, their increasing complexity as a client group, and obstacles to working effectively with them. Issues that arose in the focus groups included addressing the needs of LGBT youth across a large city that includes suburban areas, the need to address the specific service needs of transgender youth, and the intersection of racial and ethno-cultural diversity with sexual orientation. Service provider recommendations focused on the need for improved education and training and policy change at the agency level (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2010: 19, 191-198.

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