In Situ Group receives CIHR funding to study gender and sexual minority youth

In collaboration with Dr. Ian Janssen at Queen’s University (Public Health Sciences) and Dr. Luiza Ricardo (MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge), Dr. Lee received funding to study risk and health behaviours among Canadian adolescents, utilizing data from the 2022/23 HBSC (Health Behaviours of School Children) study.

The overall aim of this project is to investigate whether gender identity and sexual orientation are associated with five risk-taking behaviours (i.e., cigarette smoking, vaping, alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and social media use) and three health-enhancing behaviours (i.e., physical activity, limited screen time, and adequate sleep) in a nationally representative sample of Canadian adolescents in Grades 9–10 using recent data from the 2022/2023 HBSC study. This study will be the first in Canada to utilize nationally representative data to examine the associations between gender identity, sexual orientation, and health-related behavioural profiles, with the goal of building evidence on gender and sexual minority youth in Canada. The findings have the potential to drive policy changes and develop tailored programs that address the unique challenges faced by gender and sexual minority adolescents.

Funding information:

Lee E-Y, Janssen I, Ricardo L. Double jeopardy: Associations between gender identity, sexual orientation, and risk-taking and health-enhancing behaviours among Canadian adolescents. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Data Analysis Using Existing CDN Databases and Cohorts (2024)