Experiences of gender-diverse youth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: A longitudinal qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased existing health challenges experienced by transgender (trans) and non-binary people. Additionally, COVID-19 has also negatively impacted youth mental health. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to the intersection of youth and trans and non-binary populations is currently not well established. The present longitudinal qualitative study aimed to examine the evolving challenges experienced by trans and non-binary youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Gender-diverse youth, defined as participants who did not identify as cisgender in April 2020, were invited to participate from among the participant pool of a COVID-19 cohort study in Canada. Qualitative interviews were conducted in August 2020, January 2021, and August 2021, during the first year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative themes were identified based on reflexive thematic analysis and plot-line narrative inquiry. RESULTS: Ten participants aged 18 to 28 were included in the present analysis, yielding 29 transcripts. We identified themes of (1) losses of connection to gender-diverse communities, (2) changes in gender identity, affirmation, and self-reflection, (3) a dual burden of trans and non-binary specific health and service access challenges as well as COVID-19 pandemic related health challenges, and (4) virtually rebuilding gender-diverse communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Gender-diverse youth may experience unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The losses with gender-diverse communities may further isolate queer people from access to healthcare, housing, and employment. Public health policy targeted at gender-diverse youth may consider addressing "upstream" disparities in healthcare and housing in order to support the rebuilding of queer and gender-diverse communities by gender-diverse people.

Impact Potpourri: A Multimethod Survey Study on Youth Substance Use During COVID-19.

Background: Given the important implications of youth substance use, it is essential to document and describe changes in substance use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: This multimethod survey study examines the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on youth substance use among 149 Canadian youth who were using substances at a mid-pandemic period. Participants were 21.9 years of age on average (SD=2.2), including 99 girls/young women, 42 boys/young men, and 8 transgender or nonbinary individuals. The majority were Caucasian and born in Canada. Qualitative and quantitative findings are reported, with thematic analysis combined with descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results: Qualitatively, many youth reported increases or shifts in their substance use over the course of the pandemic. Youth reported using substances with limited numbers of peers, with family, or alone. Many reported using substances out of boredom and to cope. While legal substances remained highly accessible, illegal substances were reported to be more difficult to acquire and less trustworthy. Spending had increased. Quantitative findings suggested alcohol use has decreased, but other substance use has remained stable in the sample as a whole, although for each substance, some youth reported increases. Discussion: Despite minimal quantitative change, qualitative findings show that some youth increased their use of some substances during the pandemic, decreased others, changed their motivation to use, and decreased in safety behaviors. Youth-serving organizations should be aware of individual differences, the changing context of substance use, and the potential long-term impacts.

Contexte: Compte tenu des implications importantes de la consommation de substances chez les jeunes, il est essentiel d'identifier, documenter et décrire l'évolution de la consommation de substances pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 afin d'élaborer des stratégies de prévention et des traitements efficaces. Méthode: Cette étude d'enquête multiméthodes examine les impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur la consommation de substances chez 149 jeunes canadiens qui consommaient des substances au milieu de la période de la pandémie. Les participants avaient 21,9 ans en moyenne (ET=2,2), dont 99 filles/jeunes femmes, 42 garçons/jeunes hommes et 8 personnes transgenres ou non binaires. La majorité des participants étaient caucasien et née au Canada. Les résultats qualitatifs et quantitatifs sont rapportés avec une analyse thématique combinée à des analyses statistiques descriptives et analogiques. Résultats: Sur le plan qualitatif, de nombreux jeunes qui consommaient des substances pendant la pandémie ont signalé des augmentations ou des changements dans leur consommation de substances au cours de la pandémie. Les jeunes ont déclaré consommer des substances avec un nombre limité de pairs, en famille ou seul. De nombreux jeunes ont déclaré consommer des substances par ennui et pour faire face à la situation. Alors que les substances légales sont restées très accessibles, les substances illicites sont devenues plus difficiles à acquérir et moins dignes de confiance ce qui a entraîné une augmentation des dépenses. Les résultats quantitatifs suggèrent que la consommation d'alcool a diminué pour ces jeunes, mais la consommation d'autres substances est restée stable dans l'ensemble de l'échantillon, bien que pour chaque substance, certains jeunes ont signalé des augmentations. Analyse: Malgré un changement quantitatif minime, les résultats qualitatifs montrent que chez les jeunes qui consommaient des substances au milieu de la période de la pandémie, certains jeunes ont connu une augmentation de la consommation de certaines substances pendant la pandémie, une diminution de leur consommation d'autres substances, des changements dans leur motivation à consommer des substances et une diminution des comportements sécuritaires. Les organisations au service des jeunes doivent être conscientes des différences individuelles, du contexte changeant de la consommation de substances et des impacts potentiels à long terme. Les prestataires de services devraient travailler avec les jeunes de manière centrée sur la personne pour identifier des solutions dans le contexte des expériences vécues en lien avec la COVID-19.

Let's Talk Gender: Ten Things Transgender and Nonbinary Youth Want All Researchers to Know.

BACKGROUND: Youth view gender as a spectrum of experiences, not the cis-binary framework of girls/women versus boys/men. However, research has historically focused on cisgender people, without considering the rich experiences of transgender and non-binary people. Method. To address gaps in the inclusion of transgender and gender non-binary youth in research, a group of transgender and non-binary youth came together through a research-based youth engagement initiative to discuss what they wanted researchers to know about gender. Results. Youth propose ten guidelines and principles that they ask researchers to acknowledge, respect, and apply. These guidelines and principles focus on acknowledging and accepting diverse experiences situated on a gender spectrum, committing to learning more about gender, incorporating gender appropriately in their research initiatives, and engaging with transgender and non-binary youth in the research they conduct. Funders, research ethics boards, and publishers are also responsible for attending to gender. Conclusions. Researchers are called on to consider these guidelines and principles and to engage in dialogue around them in order to better capture the experiences of transgender and non-binary youth in the new evidence base as it emerges.