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Article History

Received: 15 February 2019

Accepted: 13 August 2019

First Online: 22 August 2019

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: This study received research ethics board (REB) approvals from all participating organizations: Simon Fraser University (2012 s0738); the University of British Columbia and Fraser Health Authority (H13–01938); the University of Victoria (13–277); McMaster University (13–570); the Public Health Agency of Canada (2012–0039); and Interior Health (2012–13-014-E), Island Health (BC2013–069) and Vancouver Coastal Health (V13–01938) Authorities. All participants provided written informed consent prior to data collection commencing. The participating research ethics review boards waived parental consent requirement for pregnant minors. Specifically, we received REB approvals for all participants who were pregnant minors (aged 18 years or younger in BC) to provide informed consent to participate; these younger participants were deemed to be competent minors by our REBs. However, parental consent and participant assent was obtained whenever a referring public health nurse deemed a minor as not competent to provide informed consent (for example, due to learning disability).

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.