YRBSS

YRBSS monitors the prevalence and trends of health-risk behaviors and related conditions among U.S. high school students to support public health surveillance and intervention.

Key Features:

• Multi-jurisdictional surveillance: Includes a nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) plus separate state, territorial, tribal, and local school-district YRBSs to provide data at national, state, territorial, tribal, and local levels.
• Behavioral domains tracked: Tracks six primary categories: behaviors contributing to unintentional injuries and violence; sexual behaviors linked to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection; alcohol and other drug use; tobacco use; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and inadequate physical activity.
• Health conditions measured: Measures prevalence of obesity and asthma among youth and young adults.
• 2019 coverage: Conducted 78 surveys in 2019, covering national and state levels (44 states), 28 local school districts, three territories, and two tribal governments with data collected August 2018–June 2019.
• Analytic procedures: Employs sampling procedures, response rate assessments, weighting strategies, data processing techniques, and comprehensive statistical analyses.
• Trend and stratified analysis: Supports monitoring trends over time and stratification by school-level socioeconomic status and geographic location.
• Measurement quality and modes: Includes reliability testing of the national questionnaire and pilot testing of electronic survey administration (including tablet platforms) and exploration of innovative analytic methods.

Scientific Applications:

• Prevalence estimation: Estimates prevalence of health-risk behaviors and conditions among different student populations.
• Trend monitoring: Monitors temporal changes in adolescent risk behaviors to identify emerging patterns.
• Risk identification: Identifies priority behaviors contributing to morbidity and mortality for targeted public health action.
• Program and policy guidance: Informs public health interventions and policies addressing HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, injury prevention, substance use, tobacco control, nutrition, physical activity, obesity, and asthma.
• Evaluation of objectives: Tracks progress toward national health objectives for adolescents.

Methodology:

Uses detailed sampling procedures, data collection protocols, response rate assessments, data processing techniques, weighting strategies, comprehensive analyses, reliability testing of the national questionnaire, pilot testing of electronic survey administration (including tablets), and exploration of innovative analytic methods.