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Teens show increases and decreases in risky behavior
The number of Douglas County 17-year-olds reporting behavior that might be a risk to their health has decreased in some areas but increased in others, the results of the 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicate.
By By: Susan Dage-Ruby
The number of Douglas County 17-year-olds reporting behavior that might be a risk to their health has decreased in some areas but increased in others, the results of the 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicate.
And the Douglas County School District is "troubled" by some of the responses.
Comparisons show an decrease in the use of alcohol and tobacco. Slight decreases were also seen in the number of students who have engaged in sex, carried weapons and fought.
But little change was reported in attitudes toward weight and suicide, and more students have tried marijuana this year than in 1992.
About 15,000 of the district's juniors returned responses to the voluntary survey.
Twenty-one percent of the responding juniors said they seriously had considered suicide in the past year, down slightly from 1998's 22 percent. Twenty-two percent in 1995 considered suicide and 20 percent in 1992.
Of the 9 percent who reported attempting suicide, 4 percent of the attempts resulted in injuries that required treatment in 2001. In 1998, 9 percent reported attempting suicide with 5 percent requiring treatment for their injuries. In 1995, 12 percent reported attempting suicide with 5 percent of the attempts resulting in injury compared with 11 percent in 1992 and 4 percent requiring treatment for an injury resulting from an attempt.
"There is grave concern in the district about the numbers," said Bruce Caughey, spokesman for the school district. "We need to look for ways to partner with families and communities to help students who are suicidal."
Suicide was only one of the areas where there was little change in behavior reported.
Half of the responding juniors said they thought they were the correct weight, compared with 47 percent in 1998, 47 percent in 1995 and 50 percent in 1992. Thirty-one percent said they viewed themselves as slightly or very overweight, compared with 28 percent in 1998, 28 percent in 1995 and 30 percent in 1992.
"Any area where there's no indication of change is an area of concern to the district," said Patsy Gleason, assistant superintendent of learning services for the district. "However, one of the positives to the lack of change is that the rise in student population hasn't brought an increase."
The student population has nearly doubled since the first survey in 1992, Gleason said.
Another area that indicated little change was the issue of weapons and fighting in school.
Of the responding juniors, 18 percent said they carried a weapon in the past month, compared with 19 percent in 1998; 20 percent in 1995 and 29 percent in 1992.
The number of respondents who reported getting into a fight was at 31 percent this year and in 1998, 29 percent in 1995 and 36 percent in 1992.
When asked if they carried a weapon to school, 2 percent of respondents reported they had compared, with 5 percent in 1998, the first year the question was asked.
The decrease in the number of times a student carried a weapon to school can be attributed to the increase in students reporting their peers, Caughey said.
Results also indicate that students are waiting until they are older before they try alcohol, and that fewer are driving after drinking or riding with a driver who has been drinking.
However the percentage of students who have tried alcohol by the junior year remained essentially has declined in the last six years, 76 percent this year and in 1998, 81 percent in 1995 and 82 percent in 1992.
Fewer juniors reported that they "never" smoked marijuana than in previous studies, 57 percent this year, the same as 1998, 56 percent in 1995 and 65 percent in 1992.
Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they had tried marijuana by age 14 compared with 26 percent in 1998, 25 percent in 1995 and 20 percent in 1992.
In 2001, 42 percent said they had smoked marijuana by age 15, the same as 1998, compared with 45 percent in 1995 and 35 percent in 1992.
Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they had smoked marijuana at least once in the past month in the 2001 and 1998 surveys, compared with 27 percent in 1995 and 20 percent in 1992.
In this year's survey, 64 percent of the responding juniors said they had never engaged in sexual intercourse, compared with 62 percent in 1998, 59 percent in 1995 and 47 percent in 1992.
The number of respondents reporting sex associated with alcohol and drug use also decreased: 29 percent in 2001 compared with 43 percent in 1998, 30 percent in 1995 and 34 percent in 1992.
More juniors reported "never" smoking a cigarette, 41 percent this year compared with 34 percent in 1998; 30 percent in 1995 and 33 percent in 1992.
"We need to take this data seriously," Gleason told members of the Douglas County Board of Education.
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was first given in Douglas County in 1992.
The survey is given to district juniors every three years and gathers data in eight areas regarding student behaviors.
The district plans to meet with school staff members to discuss ways to provide safe and civil school environments that encourage students to practice healthy behaviors, Gleason said.
And the Douglas County School District is "troubled" by some of the responses.
Comparisons show an decrease in the use of alcohol and tobacco. Slight decreases were also seen in the number of students who have engaged in sex, carried weapons and fought.
But little change was reported in attitudes toward weight and suicide, and more students have tried marijuana this year than in 1992.
About 15,000 of the district's juniors returned responses to the voluntary survey.
Twenty-one percent of the responding juniors said they seriously had considered suicide in the past year, down slightly from 1998's 22 percent. Twenty-two percent in 1995 considered suicide and 20 percent in 1992.
Of the 9 percent who reported attempting suicide, 4 percent of the attempts resulted in injuries that required treatment in 2001. In 1998, 9 percent reported attempting suicide with 5 percent requiring treatment for their injuries. In 1995, 12 percent reported attempting suicide with 5 percent of the attempts resulting in injury compared with 11 percent in 1992 and 4 percent requiring treatment for an injury resulting from an attempt.
"There is grave concern in the district about the numbers," said Bruce Caughey, spokesman for the school district. "We need to look for ways to partner with families and communities to help students who are suicidal."
Suicide was only one of the areas where there was little change in behavior reported.
Half of the responding juniors said they thought they were the correct weight, compared with 47 percent in 1998, 47 percent in 1995 and 50 percent in 1992. Thirty-one percent said they viewed themselves as slightly or very overweight, compared with 28 percent in 1998, 28 percent in 1995 and 30 percent in 1992.
"Any area where there's no indication of change is an area of concern to the district," said Patsy Gleason, assistant superintendent of learning services for the district. "However, one of the positives to the lack of change is that the rise in student population hasn't brought an increase."
The student population has nearly doubled since the first survey in 1992, Gleason said.
Another area that indicated little change was the issue of weapons and fighting in school.
Of the responding juniors, 18 percent said they carried a weapon in the past month, compared with 19 percent in 1998; 20 percent in 1995 and 29 percent in 1992.
The number of respondents who reported getting into a fight was at 31 percent this year and in 1998, 29 percent in 1995 and 36 percent in 1992.
When asked if they carried a weapon to school, 2 percent of respondents reported they had compared, with 5 percent in 1998, the first year the question was asked.
The decrease in the number of times a student carried a weapon to school can be attributed to the increase in students reporting their peers, Caughey said.
Results also indicate that students are waiting until they are older before they try alcohol, and that fewer are driving after drinking or riding with a driver who has been drinking.
However the percentage of students who have tried alcohol by the junior year remained essentially has declined in the last six years, 76 percent this year and in 1998, 81 percent in 1995 and 82 percent in 1992.
Fewer juniors reported that they "never" smoked marijuana than in previous studies, 57 percent this year, the same as 1998, 56 percent in 1995 and 65 percent in 1992.
Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they had tried marijuana by age 14 compared with 26 percent in 1998, 25 percent in 1995 and 20 percent in 1992.
In 2001, 42 percent said they had smoked marijuana by age 15, the same as 1998, compared with 45 percent in 1995 and 35 percent in 1992.
Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they had smoked marijuana at least once in the past month in the 2001 and 1998 surveys, compared with 27 percent in 1995 and 20 percent in 1992.
In this year's survey, 64 percent of the responding juniors said they had never engaged in sexual intercourse, compared with 62 percent in 1998, 59 percent in 1995 and 47 percent in 1992.
The number of respondents reporting sex associated with alcohol and drug use also decreased: 29 percent in 2001 compared with 43 percent in 1998, 30 percent in 1995 and 34 percent in 1992.
More juniors reported "never" smoking a cigarette, 41 percent this year compared with 34 percent in 1998; 30 percent in 1995 and 33 percent in 1992.
"We need to take this data seriously," Gleason told members of the Douglas County Board of Education.
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was first given in Douglas County in 1992.
The survey is given to district juniors every three years and gathers data in eight areas regarding student behaviors.
The district plans to meet with school staff members to discuss ways to provide safe and civil school environments that encourage students to practice healthy behaviors, Gleason said.
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