Why Monitoring Adolescent Health Behavior Is Important

​A national survey called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a survey conducted by departments of health and education at the state, tribal, territorial, and local levels regarding high school students throughout the U.S. Including high school students from both private and public schools.

From 1991 through 2021, the YRBSS collected data from more than 5 million high school students in more than 2,200 separate surveys. They tracked health-related behaviors such as:

• Student demographics: sex, sexual identity, race and ethnicity, and grade
• Youth health behaviors and conditions: sexual, injury and violence, bullying, diet and physical activity, obesity, and mental health, including suicide
• Substance use behaviors: electronic vapor product and tobacco product use, alcohol use, and other drug use
• Student experiences: parental monitoring, school connectedness, unstable housing, and exposure to community violence

The survey is anonymous, and no identifying data was collected.

What is the purpose of YRBSS?
The YRBSS was designed to determine how often unhealthy behaviors occur and to assess whether unhealthy behaviors increase, decrease, or stay the same over time. The survey provides data at the national, state, territorial, and freely associated state, tribal, and local levels, and compares different groups of adolescents.

YRBS data is used by health departments, educators, lawmakers, doctors, and community organizations to inform school and community programs, communications campaigns, and other efforts.

Learn more about YRBSS
For more information on why this data is so important, go to the CDC Healthy Youth Overview. You can also download the report HERE:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/overview.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf

YRBS results help monitor adolescent health behavior changes over time, identify emerging issues, and plan and evaluate programs to support the health of youth.

If you or a loved one is concerned about youth behaviors, we recommend contacting one of our therapists who work with younger people. CONTACT US to learn more.