2015 Idaho Risk Behavior Survey released

The data for the Idaho Risk Behavior Survey was gathered with the cooperation of the Idaho school districts and students and serves to provide state agencies, schools and communities with an overview of the health status and risk behavior of adolescent youth in Idaho. This information is critical when it comes to decision making, program design, and establishing policy related to student health, school safety, and security.

“This data is critical as we focus on the factors that disrupt academic achievement in Idaho’s schools,” Superintendent Ybarra said. “Supporting the health and safety of students is a key component of our work at the Idaho State Department of Education and in schools throughout the state. The YRBS represents the voice of Idaho high school students and informs how we prioritize our resources and attention.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the YRBS to focus the nation on behaviors among youth related to the leading cause of mortality and morbidity and to assess how these risk behaviors change over time.

The YRBS measures behaviors that fall into six categories:

1. Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and intentional injuries such as violence;

2. Tobacco use;

3. Alcohol and other drug use;

4. Sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases;

5. Unhealthy dietary behaviors; and

6. Inadequate physical activity.

Some highlights of the 2015 Idaho YRBS include:

The highest rate of students who reported wearing a seatbelt at 94%

Suicidal ideation increased significantly to 20%

Students who smoked in the past 30 days dropped to 10% while 56% reported using e-cigarettes.

The full report is available on the department website at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/sectr/school-health/. To request a copy please contact Lisa Kramer, School Health Coordinator, at 332-6947 or by email at lkramer@sde.idaho.gov.