Alleghany County Public Schools

2006 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Kerry J. Redican, MPH, Ph.D. David S. Sallee, Ph.D.Professor, School of Education Assistant ProfessorVirginia Tech Bridgewater College

Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)YRBS was developed by Centers for Disease

Control (CDC)

Middle School Survey

High School Survey

YRBS Risk Areas of Assessment Safety Behaviors Depression and Suicide Substance Use Sexual Behaviors Diet Exercise

Modified YRBSYRBS was modified to include questions on

(1) CORE Measures-Lifetime Use: Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana-Age of Onset: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana-Perception of Harm: Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana-Parental Disapproval: Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana

(2) Other Behaviors: Bullying, Perception of School and Community Support

Final SurveysMiddle School Survey: 82 QuestionsHigh School Survey: 108 Questions

Surveys were administered to Clifton Middle School 8th Grade Students (Middle School Survey) and 10th and 12th Grade Alleghany High School Students (High School Survey) in November, 2006

Data AnalysisCompleted surveys were processed and data

was imported into SPSS

Frequency data was complied for each question (1) by grade, (2) by gender, and (3) comparisons to previous results and national averages.

Evaluation Questions1. What is the current level of risk-taking behavior

among 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students?2. How do the current levels of self-reported

behavior among Alleghany High School 10th and 12th grade students compare with their national counterparts?

3. What are the health related needs for the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades in the Alleghany County Public Schools?

Middle School FindingsCore Measures

Alcohol 43.5% of 8th graders reported having at least one

drink of alcohol during their life; 10.1 years old was the average age 8th graders tried

alcohol; 73.8% of 8th grade students felt there was moderate

or great risk if they take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage nearly every day;

82.3% of 8th grade students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to drink beer, wine, or hard liquor regularly.

Middle School Core MeasureTobacco 39.1% of 8th graders reported having at

least tried cigarette smoking during their life;

10.2 years old was the average age 8th graders tried cigarettes;

93.7% of 8th grade students felt there was moderate or great risk if they smoke 1 or 2 packs every day;

92.7% of 8th grade students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to smoke cigarettes

Middle School Core MeasuresMarijuana 17.3% of 8th graders reported having at

least tried marijuana once during their life; 11.8 years old was the average age 8th

graders tried marijuana; 91.6 % of 8th grade students felt there was

moderate or great risk if they smoke marijuana regularly;

94.2 % of 8th grade students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to smoke marijuana

Middle School Other Results Significant progress has been made since 2004 in

reducing safety and violence-related behaviors including the percentages of 8th graders contemplating suicide, making a suicide plan, and attempting suicide.

Frequency of tobacco, alcohol, and sexual behaviors among 8th grade students are all slightly higher as compared to 2004.

The frequency of drug use decreased compared to the 2004 data.

Sexual activity increased slightly since 2004. Dieting behaviors increased slightly since 2004. Physical activity increased slightly since 2004.

High School FindingsCore Measures

Alcohol 71.2% of high school students reported having at

least one drink of alcohol during their life; 13.6 years old was the average age high school

students tried alcohol; 60.7% of high school students felt there was

moderate or great risk if they take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage nearly every day;

68.4% of high school students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to drink beer, wine, or hard liquor nearly every day.

High School Core MeasuresTobacco 54.8% of high school students reported

having at least tried cigarette smoking during their life;

13.1 years old was the average age high school students tried cigarettes;

86.1% of high school students felt there was moderate or great risk if they smoke 1 or 2 packs of cigarettes every day;

83.6% of high school students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to smoke cigarettes.

High School Core MeasureMarijuana 29.8% of high school students reported

having at least tried marijuana at least once during their life;

14.4 years old was the average age high school students tried marijuana;

81.1 % of high school students felt there was moderate or great risk if they smoke marijuana regularly;

90.7 % of high school students reported that their parents would feel it would be wrong or very wrong to smoke marijuana

High School Other Results With regard to personal safety10th,and 12th grade respondents

are practicing safety behaviors at rates higher than those reported in 2004 and as compared to their national counterparts.

Respondents who report that they have thought about committing suicide or who have attempted suicide have decreased or maintained since 2004 and are similar to the national averages.

Reported tobacco use has decreased since 2004, but is similar to national rates.

Reported alcohol use has decreased since 2004, but is slowly reaching or rising above the national rates.

Reported marijuana and other drug use has decreased since 2004, but is slowly reaching or rising above the national rates.

Respondents who report that they are sexually active have increased slightly since 2004, but are near or above the national rates.

RecommendationsMiddle School

Implement activities and efforts designed to reduce youth risk behaviors.

Continue to monitor youth risk behaviors. Provide activities and programs to support those

students who engage in low-risk behaviors. Provide activities and programs to assist those

students who engage in high-risk behaviors. Implement comprehensive health education in grades

K-12. Work closely with community health agencies in

monitoring and implementing programmatic activities.

RecommendationsHigh School

The activities and efforts that have taken place in Alleghany County Public Schools since 2004 should continue with some improvement.

Health education and information should be part of a district-wide comprehensive and coordinated effort.

The counseling efforts that have focused on suicide, substance use, and violent behaviors should continue.

Monitoring of student’s health-related behaviors should continue and should serve as a springboard for changes in the curriculum and/or services provided when appropriate.

Next Steps Focus Group Activities at CMS and AHS Review and Update with 5 Community

Action Groups Safe School Committee Analysis Target School Based Protective

Programming Longitudinal Analysis Training and Support