Child and Adolescent Health

This is the ninth biennial report of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) begun in 1991. It includes results of a national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a nationally representative sample of 14,041 public and private school students in grades 9-12, and results of 39 state and 22 city surveys, conducted in public schools, grades 9-12 by state and local agencies, with sample sizes varying from < 2,000 to > 10,000 students. Overall response rate in the national survey was 68%. State and local response rates varied from 60% to 90%. The surveys covered health-risk behaviors in six major categories: behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV); unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical activity. In addition, information was sought on prevalence of asthma and obesity, sun-safety behaviors and hours of sleep. Results were reported for 89 items altogether in the national survey, and a few less in the state and local reports. Statistical significance of findings by sex, race/ethnicity, and grade were reported for the national items, and trends over the nine biennial surveys were analyzed. Here are the findings for a selection of items from each category that illustrate important current features of risky behaviors by adolescents.