Skip to main content

Main menu

  • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Our Team
    • Vision, Mission and Values
    • Health and Economic Impact
    • Strategic Plan
  • Our Research
    • Research Focus
      • Brain Health
      • Cancer
      • Cardiovascular Conditions and Diseases
      • Digital Health
      • Health Policy
      • Immunity and Infectious Diseases
      • Joint Health and Mobility
      • Respiratory and Lung Health
      • Spinal Cord Injury and Rehabilitation
    • Research Centres and Programs
      • BC Centre on Substance Use
      • Centre for Aging SMART
      • Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation
      • Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation
      • Centre for Lung Health
      • Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
      • Immunity and Infection Research Centre
      • International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries
      • Ovarian Cancer Research Centre
      • Vancouver Prostate Centre
      • Community Research Program
      • Emergency Medicine Research Program
      • Hematology Research Program
      • Skin Research Program
      • Other Research Focus Areas
    • News and Stories
    • Researcher Directory
    • Events and Workshops
  • Research Services
    • New to VCHRI
      • Working at VCHRI
      • Regulations and Training
      • Membership with VCHRI
    • Starting Your Project
      • Research Facilitation
      • Awards and Funding
      • Grant Management
      • Operational Approval
    • Developing Your Project
      • Clinical Trials Administration
      • Clinical Research Unit
      • CST Cerner at VCH
      • Research Privacy
      • Financial Policies and Procedures
    • Additional Support
      • Education and Training
      • Communications and Branding
      • Media Relations
      • Study Recruitment Support
      • Innovation and Industry Partnership
    • Internal Awards
    • Clinical Research
    • Innovation and Partnership
  • Participate in Research
    • Reasons to Participate
    • Participant Stories
    • Find a Study
    • Recruitment Support

User menu

  • Log in

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Our Research
  3. News and Stories
  4. Ask an expert: How can we better support youth access to mental health services?

Ask an expert: How can we better support youth access to mental health services?

Stories Nov 4, 2022 4 minutes

Our expert explains how lending an ear and suggesting resources can help youth who have mental health needs.

Of the almost 4,000 Canadian youth who participated in the FOCUS research survey in 2020, co-led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. Pierre-julien Coulaud, two-thirds reported the need to access mental health services, but only 42 per cent were able to access them. Coulaud describes some of the challenges facing youth with mental health needs and concerns — particularly during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic — and what actions family members, friends and members of the community can take to support youth mental health.

Q: Why might youth be more vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic than children or adults?
A:
Young adulthood is a key period of life in which social interactions are essential to personal and professional development. For example, some youth 18 to 29 years of age have likely finished high school, and are looking for their first job. During this phase of life, youth are also developing new relationships with friends that represent an important foundation for building supportive and social connections. Yet, one of the major consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures — such as lockdown periods — has been greater isolation from friends, coworkers, peer groups and family members.

Compared to older age groups, youth are more likely to rely on precarious employment, such as seasonal and part-time jobs, to pay their bills. Many of these jobs were disproportionately negatively affected by the pandemic. Students have also been critically impacted by the closure of their schools and universities, and the transition to online learning. As a result, youth were at greater risk of experiencing financial challenges and stress regarding uncertainty about their futures. The pandemic also gave youth more free time to reflect on what they wanted for their future selves, but fewer opportunities to act on those desires. 

Q: What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had on youth mental health?
A:
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have increased youth mental health needs and concerns. Data collected in the two FOCUS surveys conducted in Fall 2020 and 2021 showed that youth experienced high levels of mental health needs — such as loneliness, anxiety and depression — during the first years of the pandemic, but these were not met through access to mental health services. Some of the reasons for this are that most of the mental health services for youth were critically disrupted by the pandemic and public health measures. Some services were partially or completely closed, and some were able to adapt their offerings to provide virtual support. However, this transition left youth with fewer opportunities to reach out for help through mental health services. 

Q: How did this impact youth who belong to minority groups?
A:
Pre-existing health inequities seem to have persisted during the pandemic. For some groups, these inequities were even more pronounced. For example, previous research found that there was an increase in experiences of discrimination among ethno-racial minorities, as well as among sexual and gender minorities, during the pandemic. This is particularly concerning, as prior research has shown that minority group youth are more likely to experience negative mental health outcomes compared to the general population. One solution to this is youth-friendly mental health services that provide tailored counselling and care services. 

Q: Why are young men more at risk of mental health challenges?
A:
Our research has shown that young men were less likely to access mental health services compared to young women. We believe this can be explained by multiple factors, including a greater lack of knowledge about mental health and care supports among men, as well as greater difficulties navigating the mental health system and accessing services. The absence of a supportive environment in which male youth can feel safe expressing themselves and their needs — for example, at home or among social groups — seems also to deter them from seeking professional help.

Q: What can friends, family, teachers and other people in close contact with youth do to help?
A:
A valuable action that friends, family, teachers and others can take is to support youth when they are expressing a mental health issue, and help them connect with mental health services and service providers. Positive familial relationships, and social support have been described as key determinants of youth mental health resilience during the pandemic. It is also important to take some time to become familiar with what mental health supports exist in your area, and to seek opportunities to become educated about mental health issues facing young people. Educating oneself and seeking professional insights, such as through a counsellor, about how to navigate the mental health system can enhance one’s ability to be a positive source of support in a youth’s life. 

Additional resources are available on the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health website, including resources related to youth heading back to school. Foundry provides resources specifically for youth aged 12 to 24. Mind Map BC offers resources for sexual and gender minority group individuals.

Dr. Pierre-julien Coulaud is a postdoctoral research fellow with the UBC Faculty of Medicine and the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use. Coulaud holds a PhD in public health, a Master of Science in infectious diseases and a Master of Science in public health. His main research interests are within the areas of substance use, mental health services and sexual health among vulnerable and marginalized populations.

 

Researchers

Pierre-julien Coulaud

Related Articles

Reaching for the stars: Virtual reality program creates new experiences for seniors in long-term care

Giving voice to health care worker experiences of moral distress

Ask an expert: How can I prioritize my health through self-care?

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Email

Related Research Centres/Programs

BC Centre on Substance Use

Get the latest research headlines in your inbox

Subscribe

Recent News and Stories

Type
Announcement

Investigator Awards 2023 Recipients

Mar 21, 2023 award
Type
Stories

Ask an expert: Is my menstrual pain normal, or could I have endometriosis?

Mar 16, 2023 women, endometriosis, preventative
Type
Stories

Honing in on precision treatments for endometriosis

Mar 14, 2023 genetics, treatment options
See more news

Get updates!

Join our newsletter mailing list to stay up to date on features and releases.

Subscribe

Quick Links

  • News and Stories
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Media Enquiries

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

© 2023 VCHRI. All rights reserved.

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy