QuaranTEENing: Understanding the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Wellbeing and Health-Related, Social, and Environmental Behaviours of Teens

Using a teen-informed online survey and teen-led focus groups, we aim to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have impacted the health and habits of teens, before and during public health measures were put in place, and after they were lifted. Specifically, the information we collect will be used to understand how COVID-19 has impacted, and continues to impact, the health-related behaviours and mental well-being of Canadian teens (aged 13-19 years) and the personal strategies they have used to cope over the course of the pandemic. Our existing for-youth-by-youth QuaranTEENing survey will be adapted to examine health-related habits and wellbeing of teens across Canada during COVID-19 in comparison to their current state now that some COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted and schools have re-opened. Teens who take part in the survey will be invited to participate in youth-facilitated focus groups that will further explore where teens socialized (in person/digitally) and spent their time (indoors vs outdoors), and provide in-depth information on the influence of the pandemic on mental wellbeing and substance use among teens. Our well-established Human Environments Analysis Laboratory Youth Advisory Council will be trained to take leadership roles in data collection and analysis, as well as help with the circulation of the final research outputs. The results of the study will be used to develop a resource for youth focused on building resiliency as well as generate appropriate policy, health promotion, and education recommendations at the provincial and school board levels.