Candice Lys, PhD

Research Statement

Dr. Candice Lys grew up in a very large Métis family in Fort Smith, NWT and now resides in Yellowknife.  She holds a PhD in Public Health Science from the University of Toronto, a MA in Health Promotion from Dalhousie University, and a BA Honors (with First Class Honors) in sociology from the University of Alberta.  She has over 20 years of experience as a community-based sexual and mental health promotion expert and researcher. 

Candice is the Co-Founder/Executive Director of FOXY (Fostering Open eXpression among Youth) and SMASH (Strength, Masculinities, and Sexual Health).  FOXY and SMASH are peer-led, trauma-informed, arts-based sexual and mental health community-based research interventions that use the arts to facilitate discussion, education, and healing among Northern and Indigenous youth.  FOXY and SMASH have reached over 10,000 youth from across the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon over the last eleven years, and in 2014 FOXY was the first organization to be awarded the entire $1 million Arctic Inspiration Prize.

Dr. Lys is involved with several territorial and national research projects, primarily in the fields of youth health, Indigenous health, sexual and mental health, HIV prevention, and land-based programming.

Research Program in the NWT

Candice is currently involved in evaluating the effectiveness of FOXY and SMASH, and further exploring the sexual and mental health needs of Northern and Indigenous youth, with the goal of improving youth-focused programming and healthcare services. . 

Significant Contributions

Lys, C., Logie, C. H., Taylor, S., Lad, A., Mackay, K., Hasham, A., Gittings, L., Malama, K., Pooyak, S., Monchalin, R., & Adamassu, Z. (2024). Land-Based Retreats as a Method for Building Enabling Environments for HIV Prevention with Northern and Indigenous Adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada: Mixed-Methods Findings. AIDS and Behaviour, 28, 3112-3127. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04397-w

Gittings, L., Malama, K., Logie, C., Lys, C., Taylor, S., McNamee, C., Mackay, K., & Adamassu, Z. (2024). Peer and Land-based Approaches for Fostering Empowering and Healthy Relationships with Indigenous and Northern Young People in the Northwest Territories. PLOS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298166

Lys, C., Logie, C., Lad, A., Sokolovic, N., Mackay, K., & Malama, K. (2024). Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Outcomes associated with Arts-based Sexual Health Workshop Participation among Northern and Indigenous Adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada. International Journal of STD and AIDS. DOI: 10.1177/09564624241226995

Malama, K., Admassu, Z., Logie, C., Lys, C., Kanbari, A., Taylor, S., Mackay, K., McNamee, C., & Gittings, L. (2024). Prevalence, correlates and trends of intimate partner violence among Indigenous and Northern youths in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Journal of Global Health Reports, 7. DOI: 10.29392/001c.91888

Logie, C.H., Lys, C., Sokolovic, N. et al. (2023). Examining Pathways from Food Insecurity to Safer Sex Efficacy Among Northern and Indigenous Adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Int.J. Behav. Med. DOI: 10.1007/s12529-023-10195-w

Gittings, L., Malama, K., Logie, C. H., Lys, C. L., Taylor, S. B., Mackay, K. I., . . . McNamee, C. (2022). “Every day I grew stronger and stronger being there”.: empowerment through land-and art-based Peer Leader retreats with Indigenous and Northern young people. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 81(1), 2125489. DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2022.2125489

Lys, C., Logie, C.H., Mackay K., MacNeill, N., Loppie, C., Gittings, L., & Yasseen, A. (2022). Exploring uptake of HIV/STI knowledge and safer sex-efficacy in an arts-based sexual health workshop among Northern and Indigenous adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada, AIDS Care, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2022.2089617

Logie, C.H., Lys, C.L., Sokolovic, N., Mackay, K., Donkers, H., Kanbari, A., Pooyak, S., Loppie, C. (2021). Contextual factors associated with depression among Northern and Indigenous adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Global Mental Health 8, e22, 1–10. DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2021.21

Logie, C. H., Lys, C. L., Okumu, M., & Fujioka, J. (2019). Exploring factors associated with condom use self-efficacy and condom use among Northern and Indigenous adolescent peer leaders in Northern Canada. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 14(1), 50-62. DOI: 10.1080/17450128.2018.1554277

Logie, C., Lys, C., Mackay, K., MacNeill, N., Pauchulo, A., Yasseen, A. (2019). Syndemic Factors associated with Safer Sex Efficacy among Northern and Indigenous Adolescents in Arctic Canada. Journal of Adolescent Health: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-019-09797-0

Logie, C., Lys, C., Dias, L., Schott, N., Zouboules, M., MacNeill, N., & Mackay, K. (2019). “Automatic assumption of your gender, sexuality and sexual practices is also discrimination”: Exploring healthcare experiences and recommendations among sexually and gender diverse persons in Northern Canada. Health & Social Care in the Community. 1–10. DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12757

Logie C., Lys C., Fujioka J., MacNeill N., Mackay, K., & Yasseen, A. (2019). Sexual practices and condom use among Northern and Indigenous adolescents in Northern Canada: Cross-sectional survey results. BMJSexual & Reproductive Health. 1-8. DOI: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2018-200174

Lys, C. (2018). Exploring Coping Strategies and Mental Health Support Systems among Female Youth in Northern Canada using Body Mapping. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 77(1): https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2018.1466604

Logie, C., Lys, C., Schott, N., Dias, L., Zouboules, M., Mackay, K. (2018). 'In the North you can't be openly gay.' Qualitatively exploring social and structural contexts shaping safer sex practices among sexually and gender diverse persons in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Global Public Health: https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2018.1449881

Lys C, Logie C, Okumu M. (2018). Pilot Testing Fostering Open eXpression among Youth (FOXY), an arts-based HIV/STI prevention approach for adolescent women in the Northwest Territories. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 29(10): 980-986. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956462418770873

Lys C, Gesink D, Strike C, Larkin J. (2018). Body Mapping as a Youth Sexual Health Intervention and Data Collection Tool. Qualitative Health Research. 28(7): 1185-1198. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049732317750862

Lys, C., Gesink, D., Strike, C., & Larkin, J. (2018). Social Ecological Factors of Sexual Subjectivity and Contraceptive Use and Access Among Young Women in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-10. DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1544604

Lys, C. (2018). Exploring coping strategies and mental health support systems among female youth in the Northwest Territories using body mapping. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 77(1). DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2018.1466604

Logie, C., Lys, C., Okumu, M., & Leone, C. (2017). Pathways between Depression, Substance Use, and Multiple Sex Partners among Northern and Indigenous Young Women in the Northwest Territories, Canada: Results from a Cross-Sectional Survey. Sexually Transmitted Infections. 1-3. DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2017-053265

Lys, C., Logie, C., MacNeill, N., Loppie, C., Dias, L., Masching, R., & Gesink, D. (2016). Arts-based HIV and STI prevention intervention with Northern and Indigenous youth in the Northwest Territories: study protocol for a non-randomised cohort pilot study. BMJ Open. 2016(6):e012399. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012399

Logie, C., & Lys, C. (2015). The Process of Developing a Community-based Research Agenda with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in the Northwest Territories, Canada. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 74: 1-2. DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v74.28188

Lys, C., & Reading, C. (2012). Coming of Age: How Young Women in the Northwest Territories Perceive the Barriers and Facilitators to Positive, Empowered, and Safer Sexual Health. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 71: 1-13. DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v71i0.18957