Funding outcome

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal life and routine of all individuals. Adolescents (10-19 years) are at low risk for hospitalization and death from COVID‐19. However, evidence suggests that the disease affected other aspects of their physical, mental and social health. One major aspect of adolescents' lives that is being disrupted by COVID-19 is their access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. In many places, health facilities have closed or have limited the available services. In addition, adolescents may be unable to visit health facilities because of movement restrictions or because of fears of COVID-19 exposure. To the best of our knowledge, no research investigated the impact of the pandemic and related public health measures on adolescents' access to SRH services in Alberta. To address this gap, we will explore the perspectives of adolescents and service providers on how the pandemic has influenced the SRH of adolescents; and develop an adolescent's specific SRH information website that will help the adolescents to navigate the SRH services, programs, and supports during and after the pandemic. We will engage adolescents (15-19 years) as an Adolescent Advisory Group (AAG) and mentor them to contribute to the research project. With guidance from our project collaborator and the AAG, we will recruit and complete individual interviews with adolescents and service providers in Alberta. AAG will also participate in the co-design of the adolescents-specific SRH website. This research will provide essential information to inform current and future adolescent SRH services, and programming, with special reference to the impact of COVID-19.