Message from the Director
The world is ever-changing, but what isn’t changing is MyVoice’s commitment to ensure that youth and decision makers at every level – from policy makers and public agencies to community organizations – have access to the insights and perspectives of young people across the country.
We care about those who participate in our studies and acknowledge the unique challenges they face. Those challenges include accessing equitable and effective healthcare, changes in reproductive rights, impacts of mental health issues, and the positive and negative effects of social media, among others. Our community of emerging researchers — many of whom are in high school or at the university level — have taken their own challenges and lived experiences to operationalize MyVoice data to help their peers.
To the young people who help us with our work by participating in MyVoice: THANK YOU! Your contributions make a difference!
As always, MyVoice is listening and learning from you. Please keep sharing!
Tammy Chang, MD, MPH, MS
Director, MyVoice National Poll of Youth
MyVoice members speak out about why it’s critical to understand youth experiences in healthcare … and the impact that our work is having
Over the years, MyVoice members have participated in the national conversation on why it’s critical for researchers and policy makers to take youths’ perspectives into account when making healthcare decisions.
As evidence of the MyVoice team’s collaboration with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), we’ve listed some of the publications we’ve been a part of, as well as the workshops and seminars we’ve attended in order to make a difference in the lives of young people and their health. Check them out in our News room here.
We’ve also been recognized for the research we’ve produced, as evidenced by our inclusion for a second year on the Distinguished Dozen list of the Journal of Adolescent Health. This year, we were honored for our paper, “Adolescent Awareness of the Changing Legal Landscape of Abortion in the United States and its Implications,” published in August 2023. Read about this special distinction here.
Publication & Program Highlights
MyVoice researchers honored among ‘Distinguished Dozen’ papers by the Journal of Adolescent Health
The Perceived Impact of a Post-Dobbs Landscape on US Adolescents and Young Adults
“It Makes Them Want to Suffer in Silence Rather Than Risk Facing Ridicule”: Youth Perspectives on Mental Health Stigma.
“Being Open About Struggle”: Youth Practices and Perspectives on Resilience
Perspectives of adolescents and young adults on cannabis use during pregnancy
Youth Perspectives and Experiences With Menstruation and Period Poverty
Sunscreen dispensers make skin cancer prevention easier
Publications
Perspectives of adolescents and young adults on cannabis use during pregnancy
Be more positive and more kind to your own bodies": Adolescent and young adult preferences for how parents can support their children with weight-related pressures
Youth Perspectives and Experiences With Menstruation and Period Poverty
US youth perspectives on eye trauma and eye protection.
The Perceived Impact of a Post-Dobbs Landscape on US Adolescents and Young Adults
Perceptions of Breastfeeding Among Adolescents and Young Adults
Grabowski A, Waselewski M, Amaro X, Harper C, Chang T, Anderson OS. Perceptions of Breastfeeding Among Adolescents and Young Adults. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2024 May 1;19(5):316-24.
Youth preferences for healthcare providers and healthcare interactions: a qualitative study.
"Being Open About Struggle": Youth Practices and Perspectives on Resilience
It Makes Them Want to Suffer in Silence Rather Than Risk Facing Ridicule: Youth Perspectives on Mental Health Stigma
Austin LJ, Browne RK, Carreiro M, Larson AG, Khreizat I, DeJonckheere M, Schwartz SEO. “It Makes Them Want to Suffer in Silence Rather Than Risk Facing Ridicule”: Youth Perspectives on Mental Health Stigma. Youth & Society. 2024.
A Nationwide sample of adolescents and young adults share where they would go alone for abortion information after Dobbs v. Jackson
Youths’ perceptions and behaviors on COVID-19 testing
Arthur C, Abenes K, Waselewski M, Chuisano SA, Chang T. Youths’ perceptions and behaviors on COVID-19 testing. Plos one. 2023 Aug 11;18(8):e0290007.
What young people are telling us
Presentations
Distracted Driving Policy: A Nationwide Survey of Youth Ages 14-24
C. Downer, RM. St. Louis, J. Zakrajsek, M. Waselewski, T. Chang. Distracted Driving Policy: A Nationwide Survey of Youth Ages 14-24. Poster presentation at: College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program’s Annual Research (UROP) Symposium. May 2024
Increasing High School Students' Researcher Identity and Research Interest through MYHealth: A Year-Long Mentored Research Training Program
DeJonckheere M, Lucien J, Chuisano SA. Increasing High School Students’ Researcher Identity and Research Interest Through MYHealth: A Year-Long Mentored Research Training Program. Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine. San Diego, CA. March 2024.
MyVoice Self Evaluation Survey: Understanding Community Collalborators' Experience.
A. Hussain, M. Waselewski, T. Chang. MyVoice Self Evaluation Survey: Understanding Community Collaborators’ Experience. Poster presentation at: College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program’s Annual Research (UROP) Symposium. May 2024.
Youth Perspectives on Healthcare Accessibility and Availability: Results from a Youth-Led Nationwide Study
Agni, A., Khan, H., Mirza, R., Lucien, J. Chuisano, S., DeJonckheere, M. Youth Perspectives on Healthcare Accessibility and Availability: Results from a Youth-Led Nationwide Study. (Poster) Michigan Family Medicine Research Day. May 2024. Detroit, MI.
Adolescent and Young Adult Perspectives on Research: Creating Space for Accessible and Accurate Information
Khurana AR, Chintagunta E, Carandang K, Wells CK, Ames C, Mann A, Chuisano S, DeJonckheere M. Adolescent and Young Adult Perspectives on Health Research: Creating Space for Accessible and Accurate Information. Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine. San Diego, CA. March 2024.
Our year by the numbers
Participants
Unique Zip Codes
Total text messages this year
Total text messages since our start
Demographics
Locations
Age
Gender
Hispanic
Race
Self-Reported SES
Researchers
Undergraduate Students
Aamina Hussain
Carson Downer
Clara Wolff
Sophia Davis
Trinity Amalraj
Graduate Students
Xochitl Aamaro
Medical Students
Alex Soos
Christian Schaaff
Claire Chang
Jasmine Sindelar
Manvir Bains
Sarosh Irani
Collaborators
Bianca Allison, MD, MPH
Carla Alvarado, PhD, MPH Christopher Frank, MD, PhD Emily Naiser, PhD, MPH
Eric Waselewski, MD
Jane Harness, DO
Julie Maslowsky, PhD
Mary Ellen Vajravelu, MD, MHSP Okeoma Mmeje, MD MPH Olivia Killeen, MD Phylicia McCalla, DrPH, MPH Subrasri Narasimhan, PhD
Faculty and Staff
Tammy Chang, MD, MPH, MS Marika Waselewski, MPH Kendrin Sonneville, ScD, RD Melissa Dejonckheere, PhD Sam Chuisano, MPH, CLC Elizabeth Katz, MA
Katie Grode
Our Collaborators
