Glossary

"A ‘chronic inflammatory disease of the airway’ that causes the following symptoms: shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing, [and] wheezing."¹

A pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dL or above. This typically occurs when men consume five or more drinks and when women consume four or more drinks in about two hours.² There are slight variations in the definition for this term between data sources (for more information about how a specific source has defined this term, please see the applicable figure notes). 

When mothers breastfed or tried to breastfeed their child, even if only for a short time.³

"A pattern of unwelcome or aggressive behaviour, often with the goal of making others uncomfortable, scared, or hurt. It is almost always used as a way of having control or power over a target, and it is often based on another person’s appearance, culture, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity."⁴

Cruel or violent treatment of a child, especially when it occurs regularly or repeatedly.⁵ This includes physical abuse, which is bodily injury inflicted upon a child or youth such as punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, or shaking; sexual abuse, which includes intercourse, fondling, acts of exposure, sexual soliciting, and sexual harassment; and emotional abuse, which includes exposure to domestic violence or witnessing a parent’s misconduct.⁶

The failure to provide shelter, safety, supervision, and nutritional needs for a child or youth.⁶

Children or youth who are under the care of the Government of British Columbia and live in a foster or group home.⁷

"A sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. In women, the infection may occur at the opening to the uterus, also known as the cervix, and the fallopian tubes. In both men and women, the infection may occur in the rectum, throat, and the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder."⁸

A general sense of being part of or belonging to a community.⁹

A term used to describe child and youth participation in out-of-school activities such as team sports, after-school programs, community service and volunteering, mentoring programs, arts programs, and school-based clubs.⁶

When a household’s housing does not meet one of the established standards of adequacy (e.g., requiring any major repairs), affordability (i.e., costing more than 30 per cent of total before-tax household income), or suitability (i.e., not having enough bedrooms for the size and make-up of residents, according to National Occupancy Standard requirements).¹⁰

Prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment of an individual or group¹¹ based on their race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, sexual orientation, and/or physical or mental disability, among other factors.¹² Like adults, children and youth have a fundamental right to be free from discrimination as described in the BC Human Rights Code.

"The presence of one or more decayed (noncavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a preschool-age child, i.e., between birth and 71 months of age."¹³

When an infant has received only breast milk since birth and has not received any other liquids or solids except any necessary medicines, oral rehydration solutions, or drops/syrups containing vitamins or minerals.^3,14 Breast milk can include expressed milk and donor milk.

Acting out behaviours such as aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse.¹⁵ These are moderately associated with children or youth who have experienced abuse or neglect.¹⁶

A general sense of belonging and closeness to one’s family.⁶

An umbrella term that describes the range of effects that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. FASD is lifelong and can include physical abnormalities, and mental and behavioural deficits.^17,18,19

One of three categories within the youth justice system in which youth are under a first court order to serve a sentence in the community (rather than be incarcerated).²⁰

Food security exists "when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life."²¹  Food insecurity exists when a person or household is concerned they will not be able to, or are unable to acquire or consume an adequate diet, either because of the poor quality of food or insufficient quantity. It is often associated with the financial ability to acquire food.²² Moderate food insecurity is when a household compromises the quality and/or quantity of food consumed. Severe food insecurity is when a household reduces food intake or disrupts normal eating patterns.²³

One of three categories within the youth justice system in which youth who are diverted from the court system are managed by police in a formal community service such as the John Howard Society.²⁰

For children and youth, the definition varies by age:

• Children 0 to <2 years – weight-for-length at or above the 3rd percentile and at or below the 97th percentile.²⁴
• Children 2 to <5 years – body mass index (BMI) at or above the 3rd percentile and at or below the 97th percentile.²⁴
• Children and youth 5–19 years – BMI at or above the 3rd percentile and at or below the 85th percentile.²⁴

For a singleton baby, a birth weight of more than 4,000 grams.²⁵

"..[T]he process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease."²⁶

See "youth incarceration."

The death of a child less than 365 days old.²⁷

Inhibited behaviours associated with disorders such as withdrawal, depression, and eating disorders. These are moderately associated with children or youth who have experienced abuse or neglect.¹⁶

A measure of general well-being based on people’s perceptions of how content or happy they are with their life as a whole.^28,29

The ability to read and write.¹¹ By some definitions, literacy also includes the development of oral language.³⁰

For a singleton baby, a birth weight of less than 2,500 grams (including preterm babies). Low birth weight is used around the world as an indicator of the health status of newborns and as a predictor of health and developmental outcomes in later life.³¹

The abilities needed by a person to move his/her body to carry out a task; these abilities require the brain, nerves, skeleton, joints, and muscles to work together. There are two types: gross motor skills (e.g., rolling over, sitting up, balancing, crawling, walking); and fine motor skills (e.g., using small objects such as a spoon, transferring an object from one hand to the other).³² For more information about how motor skills were determined in data presented in this report, see the corresponding figure notes.

The ability to "understand and work with numbers."³³ More specifically, the ability to instantly understand the value of small quantities, make judgments about numbers and their values, grasp counting principles, and complete basic addition and subtraction.³⁴ Numeracy is also known as number skills or number competence. 

For children and youth, the definition varies by age:

• Children 0 to <2 years — weight-for-length above the 99.9th percentile.²⁴
• Children 2 to <5 years – body mass index (BMI) above the 99.9th percentile.²⁴
• Children and youth 5–19 years – BMI above the 97th percentile.²⁴

For children and youth, the definition varies by age:

• Children 0 to <2 years — weight-for-length above the 97th percentile and at or below the 99.9th percentile.²⁴
• Children 2 to <5 years – body mass index (BMI) above the 97th percentile and at or below the 99.9th percentile.²⁴
• Children and youth 5–19 years – BMI above the 85th percentile and at or below the 97th percentile.²⁴

An infant born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.³⁵

Behaviour or acts that are intended to benefit others (e.g., sharing, assisting others, cooperation).³⁷ The development of prosocial behaviours in early childhood is associated with social and emotional competence throughout childhood, and is also associated with academic performance, problem-solving and moral reasoning.³⁸

Elements of a young person’s life that foster healthy development, healthy decision-making, and healthy behaviours.³⁶

A medication capable of affecting a person’s mind, emotions, and behaviour.³⁹

A sense of belonging and a feeling of being part of the school. Students who feel connected to their school are characterized as feeling happy, liking school, feeling engaged and safe, and feeling accepted and valued. They also participate in school activities, feel that teachers are fair and care about them, and have good relationships with other students.^36,40

A confidence and satisfaction in oneself.⁴¹

A single child carried in pregnancy and born, rather than one of a multiple birth.⁴²

The ability to use certain skills appropriately in social situations. The concept can be broad and inclusive of the emotional foundations of positive and negative social interaction, or it can be narrow and specifically refer to problem behaviours in social contexts, including aggression, shyness/withdrawal, and attention deficits.³⁰

A range of behaviours including thinking about suicide (suicidal ideation), deliberate self-harm, suicide attempts, and completed suicide.⁴³

For children and youth, the definition varies by age:

• Children 0 to <2 years — weight-for-length below the 3rd percentile.²⁴
• Children 2 to <5 years — body mass index (BMI) below the 3rd percentile.²⁴
• Children and youth 5–19 years — BMI below the 3rd percentile.²⁴

One of three categories within the youth justice system in which youth are ordered to serve a sentence in a Youth Custody Centre.²⁰

Youth not enrolled in school or a training program, and not employed.⁴⁴