Purposes of the YRBSS

1. A joint project between the Department of Education and Early DevelopmentandDepartment of Health and Social Services in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2. Purposes of the YRBSS • Focus the nation on behaviors among youth causing the most important health problems • Assess how risk behaviors change over time • Provide comparable data

3. Behaviors That Contribute to the Leading Causes of Morbidity and Mortality • Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence • Tobacco use • Alcohol and other drug use • Sexual behaviors • Unhealthy dietary behaviors • Inadequate physical activity

4. Characteristics of the National, State, and Local School-Based YRBS • 9th – 12th grade students • Probability samples of schools and students • Anonymous and voluntary • Self-administered, computer-scannable questionnaire or answer sheet • Completed in one class period (45 minutes) • Conducted biennially usually during the spring

5. Policy and Program Applications • Describe risk behaviors • Create awareness • Set program goals • Develop programs and policies • Support health-related legislation • Seek funding

6. Requires active parental consent in Alaska (AS 14.03.110) Active consent: A student is not allowed to participate unless the parent returns a signed permission form. Passive consent: A student is excluded from the survey if the parent returns a signed form denying permission.

7. Target minimum response rate is 60% or higher for weighted (representative) data Weighted data – adjusted to represent all high school students in the state. Unweighted data – data represents only the students who participated in the survey.

8. Alaska Survey History 1995 - weighted data, state report 1999 - weighted data excluding Anchorage, state report 2003 – weighted data, state report 2007 – weighted data, state report in progress

9. Alaska Survey Response Rates 1995 – school participation rate 82% x 78% student participation rate = 64% overall rate 2003 –school participation rate 90% x 68% student participation rate = 62% overall rate 2007 – school participation rate 88% x 66% student participation rate = 60% overall rate

10. 2007 Alaska Sample * Total includes unknown gender and grade

11. 2007 Alaska Sample * Total includes unknown gender and race

12. Leading Causes of Death Alaska ages 15-19 *Rate is deaths per 100,000 age 15-19 population 2003-2005 Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics

13. Leading Causes of Death Alaska all ages Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics

14. 2007 Summary Graphs Risk Behavior Percentage of students who: Never or rarely wore a seat belt when riding in a car 7.0 Rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol during the past 30 days 23.5 Carried a weapon during the past 30 days 24.4 Attempted suicide during the past 12 months 10.7 Smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days 17.8 Drank alcohol during the past 30 days 39.7 Used marijuana during the past 30 days 20.5 Ever had sexual intercourse 45.1 Were not physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more of the past seven days 57.5 Did not attend PE class daily 82.3 Were overweight 11.1 Did not eat fruits and vegetables five or more times per day 84.3 0 20 40 60 80 100

15. 2007 Summary Graphs Positive Behavior Percentage of students who: Sometimes, most of the time, or always wore a seat belt when riding in a car 93.0 Did not ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol during the past 30 days 76.5 Did not carry a weapon during the past 30 days 75.6 Did not attempt suicide during the past 12 months 89.3 Did not smoke cigarettes during the past 30 days 82.2 Did not drink alcohol during the past 30 days 60.3 Did not use marijuana during the past 30 days 79.5 Never had sexual intercourse 54.9 Were physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more of the past seven days 42.5 Attended PE class daily 17.7 Were not overweight 88.9 Ate fruits and vegetables five or more times per day 15.7 0 20 40 60 80 100

16. 2007 Summary Graphs Risk Behavior Number of students in a class of 30 who: Never or rarely wore a seat belt when riding in a car 2.1 Rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol during the past 30 days 7.1 Carried a weapon during the past 30 days 7.3 Attempted suicide during the past 12 months 3.2 Smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days 5.3 Drank alcohol during the past 30 days 11.9 Used marijuana during the past 30 days 6.2 Ever had sexual intercourse 13.5 Were not physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more of the past seven days 17.3 Did not attend PE class daily 24.7 Were overweight 3.3 Did not eat fruits and vegetables five or more times per day 25.3 0 10 20 30 Note: This graph contains weighted results. See the corresponding summary table for detailed explanation of data.

17. 2007 Summary Graphs Positive Behavior Number of students in a class of 30 who: Sometimes, most of the time, or always wore a seat belt when riding in a car 27.9 Did not ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol during the past 30 days 23.0 Did not carry a weapon during the past 30 days 22.7 Did not attempt suicide during the past 12 months 26.8 Did not smoke cigarettes during the past 30 days 24.7 Did not drink alcohol during the past 30 days 18.1 Did not use marijuana during the past 30 days 23.9 Never had sexual intercourse 16.5 Were physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more of the past seven days 12.8 Attended PE class daily 5.3 Were not overweight 26.7 Ate fruits and vegetables five or more times per day 4.7 0 10 20 30 Note: This graph contains weighted results. See the corresponding summary table for detailed explanation of data.

20. For more information: Patty Owen, YRBS Coordinator 465-2768 Patricia.Owen@alaska.gov Charles Utermohle, Data Analyst 269-8030 Charles.Utermohle@alaska.gov