Sociodemographic Data Collection Training

The following training module is intended to support staff at Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) sites to learn how to collect sociodemographic data from youth across the province. The following training module aims to provide context of health equity within YWHO, the value and rationale of collecting sociodemographic data, and guidance on how to respond to youth questions and concerns about the collection of this data.

Health Equity within YWHO

Within the YWHO model, the overarching goal is to improve access and service standards for young people through an integrated approach to youth mental health and substance use services. YWHO’s values aim to ensure access, equity, and inclusion for diverse youth. 

When thinking about youth and young adults, we want to dig deeper and understand the needs, barriers and health outcomes of diverse communities. Programs and services that take into account the diversity of their participants increase client satisfaction, engagement in treatment, and quality of care and health outcomes.

The YWHO model has 13 components, 4 of these core components are equity-focused.

The ‘Equity data use” core component, includes collecting and using sociodemographic data as an action that can support the work in all of these core components as well as for YWHO’s overall goal. 

The collection of sociodemographic data can help us to:

• Improve service provision and tailor care to the diverse youth being served;
• Identify and address inequities in our services, such as access and quality of care; and
• Understand which population groups are being overserved, underserved, or excluded.

Having a health equity approach requires us to think about the full spectrum of youth populations with the highest barriers, who are underrepresented and underserved, and in doing so, we have to consider intersectionality – that many people experience multiple forms of disadvantage, and that these experiences compound one another.

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