Research summary
Mental illness affects some 1.2 million Canadian children and youth, and nearly three-quarters of people who live with a mental illness see their symptoms begin before the age of 18. As Canada Research Chair in Population Health Approaches to Mental Health and Substance Use, Dr. Emily Jenkins is working with youth and their communities to advance research in youth mental health and substance use.
She and her research team are using participatory research approaches that emphasize co-discovery with communities-particularly those who are equity seeking-and bring citizens’ voices to policy and practice agendas to tackle key health and social issues. They are generating evidence to inform interventions that will promote positive mental health and substance use outcomes at both the individual and societal levels. Their work will guide interventions and policies to protect and promote positive mental health and substance use outcomes for youth in Canada and beyond.