CYHRNet - Elizabeth Saewyc

Fast Facts:

Name: Elizabeth Saewyc, RN, PHN, PhD

Education: Nursing

Affiliation: UBC

Titles: Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia. Affiliate Member, Division of Adolescent Medicine/Department of Pediatrics. Research Director, McCreary Centre Society.

CYHRNet Role: Co-Leader, Ethics and Research with Children and Youth

Research Interests: Health issues of youth, with a particular emphasis on understanding how certain groups of young people are targeted and stigmatized, how this influences their coping and risk behaviours, and what protective factors in their relationships and environments can help buffer this risk and influence their health.

Website: Dr. Saewyc's Website

Email: saewyc@interchange.ubc.ca

Priority Initiatives & Co-Leaders

CYHRNet strives to collaborate with other MSFHR networks to ensure a sustained focus on infants, children and youth. Network efforts have tended to focus on the following priority initiatives:

Transitions to Adulthood
- Co-Leader: Bonnie Leadbeater
Health and Wellbeing (focus on Mental Health)
- Co-Leader: Bonnie Leadbeater
Health Disparities
- Co-Leader: Jean-Paul Collet
Child and Youth Health Indicators related to Injury Prevention
- Co-Leader: Ian Pike
Ethics and Research with Children and Youth
- Co-Leader: Elizabeth Saewyc
Youth and Community Engagement
- Co-Leader: Joan Bottorff

Elizabeth Saewyc, RN, PHN, PhD

CYHRNet Co-Leader: Ethics and Research with Children and Youth.

Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia. Research Director, McCreary Centre Society.

Elizabeth Saewyc's research focuses on health issues of youth, with a particular emphasis on understanding how certain groups of young people are targeted and stigmatized, how this influences their coping and risk behaviours, and what protective factors in their relationships and environments can help buffer this risk and influence their health. The vulnerable groups targeted by stigma that Elizabeth studies include: sexual minority youth (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens), homeless and runaway youth, sexually-abused and sexually-exploited teens, pregnant and parenting adolescents, youth in custody, immigrant and refugee populations, and indigenous young people in Canada and other countries. Elizabeth's honors and awards include: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar, Career Investigator Award in 2004-2009; National Institutes of Health Pediatric Research LRP award: 2003-2005; National Research Service Award, Pre-doctoral Fellowship, National Institute of Nursing Research - 1998-2001 and Finalist, New Investigator Award, Society for Adolescent Medicine in 1997.

Research interests: Health issues of youth, with a particular emphasis on understanding how certain groups of young people are targeted and stigmatized, how this influences their coping and risk behaviours, and what protective factors in their relationships and environments can help buffer this risk and influence their health.

In the Media

"Despite stereotype of over-sexed youth, teen pregnancy down 36%" by Tom Blackwell, National Post. May 27, 2010.
"When it comes to sex ed, the kids aren't all right" by Siri Agrell and André Picard, The Globe and Mail. April 23, 2010.
"Players, coaches deal with aftermath of Kendall Berry tragedy" by Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald. April 4, 2010.
"Clothing fit for a tween: Stylish apparel without being too grown up." Canadian Press, Amherst Daily Living, Jan. 22, 2010.
"One in five students abused: study." Geoffrey Blain, The Brock Press. Sept. 29, 2009.
"Nurses can help exploited girls, UBC prof finds." Metro Vancouver. Aug. 27, 2009. [More info]
"Men and women equally abuse victims, study says." Holly Tousignant, Queen's Journal. Sept. 18, 2009.
"Justice is unequal in sex abuse". Pam Louwagie and Glenn Howatt, Star Tribune. June 3, 2009.
"Unmarried with kids - Trend doubles, triples in some developed countries: Study". Kristen Thompson, Metro Vancouver, May 14, 2009.
"Youth abuse in B.C. on the rise, suicide attempts drop: survey." CBC.ca, April 15, 2009.
"Lesbian youth at high risk for pregnancy: UBC study." Amy O'Brian, Vancouver Sun. Dec. 17, 2008.
"Gay or bisexual teenage boys are more likely to have attempted suicide." Catherine Rolfsen, Vancouver Sun, Nov. 17, 2008.
"B.C. teens becoming more careful with sex." Siri Agrell, The Globe and Mail, July 17, 2008.

Selected Publications

Saewyc, E.M. & Edinburgh, L.D. (2010). Restoring healthy developmental trajectories for sexually exploited young runaway girls: Fostering protective factors and reducing risk behaviours. Journal of Adolescent Health 46:2, 180-88.
Saewyc, E., Brown, D., Plane, M., Mundt, M., Zakletskaia, L., Wiegel, J., & Fleming, M. (2009). Gender differences in violence exposure among university students attending campus health clinics in the United States and Canada. Journal of Adolescent Health 45:6, 587-94.
Saewyc, E., Homma, Y., Skay, C., Bearinger, L., Resnick, M., & Reis, E. (2009). Protective factors in the lives of bisexual adolescents in North America. American Journal of Public Health, 99:1, 110-117.
Saewyc, E.M., Solsvig, W., & Edinburgh, L. (2008). The Hmong Youth Task Force: Evaluation of a coalition to address the sexual exploitation of young runaways. Public Health Nursing, 25:1, 69-76.