Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - United States, 2007

This article describes the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) which monitors six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, including 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 (STDs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. In addition, YRBSS monitors the prevalence of obesity and asthma. This report summarizes results from the national survey, 39 state surveys, and 22 local surveys conducted among students in grades 9--12 during January through December 2007. In the United States, 72% of all deaths among persons aged 10--24 years result from four causes: motor-vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Results from the 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) indicated that many high school students engaged in behaviors that increased their likelihood of death from these four causes. Transportation-related behaviors included seat belt use, riding with a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, and safety concerns about getting to school. Among high school students nationwide during 2007, 11.1% had never or rarely worn a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else. During the 30 days before the survey, 29.1% of high school students had ridden in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol, 18.0% had carried a weapon, and 5.5% had not gone to school because they felt they would be unsafe at school or on their way to or from school. The authors conclude by calling for more effective school health programs and other policy and programmatic interventions to reduce risk and improve health outcomes among youth.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00910031
• Authors:
  • Eaton, Danice K
  • Kann, Laura
  • Kinchen, Steve
  • Shanklin, Shari
  • Ross, James
  • Hawkins, Joseph
  • Harris, William A
  • Lowry, Richard
  • McManus, Tim
  • Chyen, David
  • Lim, Connie
  • Brener, Nancy D
  • Wechsler, Howell
• Publication Date: 2008-6-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 131p
• Serial:
  • Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
  • Volume: 57
  • Issue Number: SS-4
  • Publisher: Department of Health and Human Services
  • ISSN: 0149-2195
  • EISSN: 1545-861x
  • Serial URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Alcohol use; Behavior; High school students; Passengers; Risk assessment; Risk taking; Safety education; Schools; Seat belts; Travel behavior
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01105316
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 30 2008 8:10AM