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The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2021) | Viewed by 25911

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Scott Leatherdale

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Guest Editor

School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Interests: youth risk behaviour surveillance; natural experiment evaluation; predictors of substance use (tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, vaping); poly-substance use and trajectories of onset; substance use and mental health; comprehensive school health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Karen Patte

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, Niagara Region, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada
Interests: mental health and substance use, and their interrelationships with various health behaviours (sleep, physical activity, eating behaviour) and psychosocial and environmental influences; obesity, unhealthy weight control behaviours, body image, and weight perceptions; school health; public health programs and policy

Prof. Dr. Slim Haddad

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Assistant Guest Editor

Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, 1050 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada
Interests: public health; international health; maternal mortality; family medicine

Prof. Dr. Guy Faulkner

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Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Interests: the development and evaluation of physical activity interventions; physical activity and mental health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COMPASS system (COMPASS https://uwaterloo.ca/compass-system/information-researchers/data-usage-application) is a research platform for understanding risk factor trajectories, evaluating natural experiments, and generating practice-based evidence in school-based prevention. The COMPASS system is focused on enabling the timely and robust generation of evidence to advance youth health, by building the capacity to integrate research, evaluation, policy, and practice within school-based prevention systems. In its largest application to date, COMPASS has been used in a prospective cohort study (2012-2021) to collect hierarchical longitudinal data annually from ~55,000 grade 9 to 12 students attending 100+ secondary schools in four Canadian provinces (Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia). The primary domains pertain to substance use (tobacco, e-cigarette/vaping, alcohol, cannabis, opioids), mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, flourishing, emotional regulation), physical activity and sedentary behaviours, sleep, eating behaviours, bullying, academic outcomes, and demographic characteristics. The hierarchical design refers to data measured at the individual student-level and the school-level (programs, policies, resources, built environment data from within and surrounding schools).

COMPASS data can be used in a repeat cross-sectional or linked longitudinal format to examine risk factor co-occurence, impact evaluations, and trajectories of onset. Optimally, these data can be used to evaluate how the myriad of changes in programs, policies, or built environment resources that occur within or surrounding schools (natural experiments) are associated with changes in youth risk factors and outcomes over time. The design of COMPASS allows us to generate practice-based evidence to help plan, target, and tailor school-based prevention efforts across a variety of modifiable risk factor domains and adding breadth to our current understanding of what works, for whom, and in what contexts.

This Special Issue calls for papers that intend to explore risk factor onset or co-occurence, or that evaluate natural experiments on student health and well-being using data from the COMPASS system. These papers can take a variety of forms (brief reports, empirical papers, case studies) and can use a variety of methodological approaches (quasi-experimental models, latent transition models, structural equations models, etc.). Graduate trainee manuscripts are considered a priority in this call.

Interested researchers can request access to COMPASS tools and data via an online application system (https://uwaterloo.ca/compass-system/information-researchers/data-usage-application).

Prof. Dr. Scott Leatherdale
Dr. Karen Patte
Prof. Dr. Slim Haddad
Prof. Dr. Guy Faulkner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Energy to Smoke: Examining the Longitudinal Association between Beverage Consumption and Smoking and Vaping Behaviours among Youth in the COMPASS Study

by Matthew J. Fagan, Katie M. Di Sebastiano, Wei Qian, Scott T. Leatherdale and Guy Faulkner

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 3864; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18083864 - 07 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3104

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal association between changes in sugar-sweetened and/or caffeinated beverage consumption and smoking/vaping behaviour among Canadian adolescents. Using longitudinal data from the COMPASS study (2015/16 to 2017/18), four models were developed to investigate whether beverage consumption explained variability in smoking and vaping behaviour in adolescence: (1) smoking initiation, (2) vaping initiation, (3) current smoking status, and (4) current vaping status. Models were adjusted for demographic factors. Multinomial logit models were used for model 1, 2, and 3. A binary logistic regression model was used for model 4. An association between change in frequency of beverage consumption and smoking/vaping behaviour was identified in all models. A one-day increase in beverage consumption was associated with smoking initiation (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.51), vaping initiation (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.32), identifying as a current smoker (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.35), and currently vaping (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.11). Change in high-energy drink consumption was the best predictor of smoking behaviours and vaping initiation but not current vaping status. Given the health consequences of smoking and vaping and their association with high-energy drink and coffee consumption, policy initiatives to prevent smoking/vaping initiation, and to limit youth access to these beverages, warrant consideration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

12 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Secondary School Nutrition Policy Compliance in Ontario and Alberta, Canada: A Follow-Up Study Examining Vending Machine Data from the COMPASS Study

by Michelle M. Vine, Julianne Vermeer, Leonardo Romano, Daniel W. Harrington, Alexandra E. Butler, Karen A. Patte, Katelyn M. Godin and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3817; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18073817 - 06 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2509

Abstract

(1) Objective: To longitudinally assess food and beverages sold in vending machines in secondary schools (grades 9–12) participating in the COMPASS study (2015/2016 and 2018/2019) and (2) to examine if patterns and trends observed in previous years (2012/2013 to 2014/2015) are consistent with lack of policy compliance in Ontario and Alberta, Canada. (2) Methods: Policy compliance was assessed through comparing nutritional information on drink (e.g., sports drinks) and snack (e.g., chocolate bars) products in vending machines to Policy and Program Memorandum (P/PM) 150 in Ontario (required policy) and the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth (recommended policy). Longitudinal results and descriptive statistics were calculated. (3) Results: Longitudinal results indicate that between Y₄ (2015/2016) and Y₇ (2018/2019), snack and drink vending machines remained mostly non-compliant in Ontario and Alberta, with a small proportion of Ontario drink machines changing from non-compliant to compliant. At the school level, descriptive results indicate the proportion of Ontario schools with policy-compliant snack and drink machines decreased between Y₄ and Y₇. Alberta schools were non-compliant for drink and snack machines. (4) Conclusions: Secondary schools continue to be non-compliant with provincial policies. School nutrition policies need to be simplified in order to make it easier for schools to be compliant. Enforcement of compliancy is also an area that deserves consideration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

18 pages, 831 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A School-Level Examination of the Association between Programs and Policies and Physical Activity Outcomes among Females from the COMPASS Study

by Kathleen E. Burns, Julianne Vermeer, Kate Battista and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3314; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18063314 - 23 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2385

Abstract

(1) The majority of Canadian youth are not meeting physical activity guidelines, and more female than male youth are falling short of these recommendations. School programs and policies are a viable strategy to improve youth physical activity. However, they may differentially affect female and male activity. This study aimed to examine school-level differences in physical activity outcomes among male and female students and to explore how school programs and policies associate with school-level physical activity outcomes among females. (2) This study used data from 136 schools participating in year 7 (Y7 2018–2019) of the COMPASS study. Data on school programs and policies and on student physical activity were collected. School-level means and percentages for outcomes were calculated and compared between males and females and the impact of physical activity programs and policies on female physical activity outcomes were examined. (3) More males met the guidelines, achieved more strength training days and physical activity minutes compared to females. The number of female varsity sports, community partnerships and fitness ambassadors were all positively and significantly associated with female physical activity. (4) Supportive physical activity environments fostered by offering varsity sports, establishing community partnerships and positive role models may promote physical activity among female youth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

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14 pages, 588 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can We Reverse this Trend? Exploring Health and Risk Behaviours of Grade 12 Cohorts of Ontario Students from 2013–2019

by Adam G. Cole, Rachel E. Laxer, Karen A. Patte and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3109; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18063109 - 18 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2506

Abstract

Adolescents engage in multiple health risk behaviours that put them at risk of future chronic disease. By the time students graduate from secondary school, they may be engaging in behaviours that set them on a particular health trajectory. It is important to monitor the co-occurrence of health risk behaviours of cohorts of grade 12 students over time to highlight important areas for intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in health and risk behaviours over six waves among subsequent cohorts of grade twelve students from Ontario, Canada. A total of 44,740 grade 12 students participated in the COMPASS study across the six waves (2013/14 to 2018/19), and self-reported movement (physical activity, screen time, sleep), dietary (fruit and vegetables, breakfast), and substance use (smoking, vaping, binge drinking, and cannabis use) behaviours. Over 91.0% of students reported engaging in three or more health risk behaviours, with increases in the number of students reporting inadequate sleep, not eating breakfast on every school day, and vaping over time. Although modest, the wave 6 cohort reported slightly more risk behaviours compared with the wave 1 cohort, highlighting the importance of multidimensional health promotion strategies across multiple settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

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12 pages, 1911 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Impact of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) on Physical Activity of Older Youth

by Scott T. Leatherdale, Kathleen E. Burns, Wei Qian, Guy Faulkner and Valerie Carson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3083; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18063083 - 17 Mar 2021

Viewed by 1862

Abstract

(1) Background: The Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) was a community-based obesity prevention intervention funded by the Government of Ontario (Canada). (2) Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to examine the impact of the HKCC on physical activity (PA) outcomes using both repeat cross-sectional (T1 2014–2015, n = 31,548; T2 2015–2016, n = 31,457; and T3 2016–2017, n = 30,454) and longitudinal data (n = 3906) from the COMPASS study. Grade 9–12 students in HKCC communities were placed into one of three intervention groups [T2 data collection post-HKCC finishing (IG1), T2 data collection during HKCC (IG2), and T2 data collection pre-HKCC starting (IG3)], Ontario students in non-HKCC communities were Control Group 1 (CG1) and Alberta students were Control Group 2 (CG2). (3) Results: Repeat cross-sectional results show over time the HKCC had no significant impact on PA outcomes in any of the intervention groups. Longitudinal results show a significant decrease in time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (IG2: −3.15 min/day) between T1 and T3 in IG2. (4) Conclusions: These results suggest the HKCC did not have an impact on improving PA outcomes among older youth in HKCC communities. Moving forward, there is a need to provide effective and sustainable interventions to promote PA among older youth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

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14 pages, 388 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining If Changes in the Type of School-Based Intramural Programs Affect Youth Physical Activity over Time: A Natural Experiment Evaluation

by Kathleen E. Burns, Ashok Chaurasia, Valerie Carson and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18052752 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2497

Abstract

(1) School-based physical activity programs such as intramurals provide youth with inclusive opportunities to be physically active, yet we know little about how types of intramurals (e.g., team and individual sports) may contribute to youth MVPA. This research aims to evaluate how real-world changes in types of intramurals available in schools impact youth physical activity over time. (2) This study used three years of longitudinal school- and student-level data from Ontario schools participating in year 5 (2016–2017), year 6 (2017–2018) and year 7 (2018–2019) of the COMPASS study. Data on types of intramural programs from 55 schools were obtained, baseline demographic characteristics were measured and data on physical activity and sport participation were collected on a sample of 4417 students. Hierarchical linear mixed regression models were used to estimate how changes in the type of intramurals associate with youth MVPA over time. (3) Regardless of participation, adding individual and team intramurals was significantly and positively associated with female MVPA in Y6. (4) The indirect, but positive relationship between adding individual and team intramurals and female MVPA may be explained by other characteristics of the school environment that are conducive to female MVPA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

12 pages, 576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disciplinary Approaches for Cannabis Use Policy Violations in Canadian Secondary Schools

by Megan J. Magier, Scott T. Leatherdale, Terrance J. Wade and Karen A. Patte

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2472; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18052472 - 03 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2261

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the disciplinary approaches being used in secondary schools for student violations of school cannabis policies. Survey data from 134 Canadian secondary schools participating in the Cannabis use, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol use, Smoking, and Sedentary behaviour (COMPASS) study were used from the school year immediately following cannabis legalization in Canada (2018/19). Despite all schools reporting always/sometimes using a progressive discipline approach, punitive consequences (suspension, alert police) remain prevalent as first-offence options, with fewer schools indicating supportive responses (counselling, cessation/educational programs). Schools were classified into disciplinary approach styles, with most schools using Authoritarian and Authoritative approaches, followed by Neglectful and Permissive/Supportive styles. Further support for schools boards in implementing progressive discipline and supportive approaches may be of benefit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

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15 pages, 344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measurement Invariance of the Flourishing Scale among a Large Sample of Canadian Adolescents

by Isabella Romano, Mark A. Ferro, Karen A. Patte, Ed Diener and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 7800; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17217800 - 25 Oct 2020

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3790

Abstract

Our aim was to examine measurement invariance of the Flourishing Scale (FS)—a concise measure of psychological wellbeing—across two study samples and by population characteristics among Canadian adolescents. Data were retrieved from 74,501 Canadian secondary school students in Year 7 (2018–2019) of the COMPASS Study and from the original validation of the FS (n = 689). We assessed measurement invariance using a confirmatory factor analysis in which increasingly stringent equality constraints were specified for model parameters between the following groups: study sample (i.e., adolescents vs. adults), gender, grade, and ethno-racial identity. In all models, full measurement invariance of the FS across all sub-groups was demonstrated. Our findings support the validity of the FS for measuring psychological wellbeing among Canadian adolescents in secondary school. Observed differences in FS score among subgroups therefore represent true differences in wellbeing rather than artifacts of differential interpretation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

19 pages, 337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reluctancy towards Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns at Secondary School among Students in the COMPASS Study

by Natalie Doan, Karen A. Patte, Mark A. Ferro and Scott T. Leatherdale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(19), 7128; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17197128 - 29 Sep 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4066

Abstract

Youth populations represent a key population for addressing mental health, yet many youths express reluctance towards help seeking. Considering the volume of time that almost all youth spend at school during the school year, it is important to assess the role of the school environment in relation to students’ attitudes toward help-seeking. Data from 47,290 grade 9 to 12 students and 116 Canadian secondary schools that participated in the 2018-19 wave of the COMPASS (Cannabis, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol, Smoking, Sedentary behaviour) study were analyzed using GEE models to assess the student and school characteristics associated with attitudes regarding seeking help for mental health concerns from an adult at school. Overall, 58% of students reported being reluctant to seek help for mental health concerns at school. Students who reported lower self-rated mental health (aOR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.65, 1.87), emotion regulation (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.09), family support (aOR = 2.31, 95% CI = 2.16, 2.47), peer support (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.31), and school connectedness (aOR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.92, 0.93) scores were more likely to be reluctant towards help-seeking at school than students with more favourable scores on these variables. Students with higher flourishing scores were less likely than students who were languishing to report reluctance to help-seeking at school (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.96, 0.97). Students attending schools in areas with lower population densities and median household incomes between $50,000–75,000 were less likely to be reluctant to help-seeking relative to students attending schools in areas with higher density (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.79, 0.93) and median household incomes (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.31), respectively. The availability of school mental health services and specialists were not associated with student help-seeking reluctance. High levels of resistance towards help-seeking among youth remain a significant barrier, particularly among youth at highest risk (i.e., with lower support and poorer mental health). The student and school characteristics identified in the current study can help inform strategies to promote greater acceptance of help seeking among students in schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Health and Well-Being of Youth: Evidence from the COMPASS System)

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