94. Exploring Inequities in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Youth-Led Study in Ontario, Canada

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 posed a significant threat to adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR), with disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged groups. However, existing research has not centered adolescents’ experiences or expertise. Youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) is a collaborative approach to research that recognizes young people as experts to generate knowledge, empower youth, and catalyze action to improve their health. The objective of this study was to support three teams of youth researchers in developing and implementing their own research projects examining the impact of COVID-19 on an ASRHR issue of their choosing, using YPAR methodology. METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to recruit four teams of female-identified youth researchers (ages 16-19 years) in three high-priority regions of Ontario, Canada. Interested youth were interviewed to gauge motivation, relevant intersectional experiences, interest in collaborating, and sense of service to their communities. Selected youth completed a five-day virtual training covering critical thinking, ASRHR, qualitative/quantitative data collection and analysis, research ethics, and project logistics. Each youth team was paired with two adult research mentors and engaged in a four step YPAR process depicted in Figure 1. Youth researchers received compensation for their work and were included as study collaborators. This study was approved by IRB. RESULTS: Team 1 identified barriers to having SRH needs met during COVID-19 for assigned females 13-21 yrs old in London, Ontario, using survey methodology. They found that among 58 assigned-female youth, 50% reported difficulties accessing sexual health-related treatment during COVID-19. Team 2 sought to understand how the intersectional identities of youth in Hamilton and Niagara Falls regions influenced experiences of sex education, using in-depth interviews. Key themes were the need to recognize diversity, that the relevance of sex ed changes as adolescence progresses, and that sex ed should focus on positive sexuality. Team 3 identified factors that influenced access to SRH products for teens in Northern Ontario using a survey of 114 adolescents. They found 32% of respondents experienced barriers to buying sexual health products locally, including stigma, cost, distance, disability, and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity. See https://www.shareproject.ca CONCLUSIONS: This study amplified youth voices through a social justice-framed approach to examining ASRHR during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centering the perspectives, values and experiences of youth introduced the potential to positively impact the youth researchers themselves, while yielding results that were relevant, meaningful, adolescent-responsive and culturally-informed. Supporting Figures or Tables https://www.abstractscorecard.com/uploads/Tasks/upload/19245/RGXGDRUQ-1380706-1-ANY.docx