Youth risk behavior surveys are an important tool in helping to identify and prevent health risks among young people. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a nationally–representative survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess health–risk behaviors among adolescents in grades 9–12. The survey is conducted every two years in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and is designed to provide data on behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The YRBS is designed to assess behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, sexual activity, dietary habits, physical activity, and mental health. It also looks at other health–related topics, such as access to health care, bullying, and violence. The survey is administered to a representative sample of students in grades 9–12, and is conducted in a variety of settings, including schools, community centers, and online. The survey is designed to provide information that can be used by public health professionals to develop and implement effective health promotion and disease prevention programs for youth. It also provides data for researchers to study the prevalence of health–risk behaviors among adolescents. The survey results can be used to identify health–risk behaviors among adolescents and to track changes in health–risk behaviors over time. The data can also be used to identify disparities in health–risk behaviors among different subgroups of youth, such as those from different racial/ethnic backgrounds or those living in different geographic areas. The YRBS is an important tool in helping to identify and prevent health risks among young people. It provides valuable data that can be used to develop effective health promotion and disease prevention programs for youth. It also provides an important source of data for researchers to study the prevalence of health–risk behaviors among adolescents.
1. 1. During the past 12 months‚ how many times were you in a physical fight?
a. 0 timesb. 1 timec. 2 or 3 timesd. 4 or 5 timese. 6 or 7 timesf. 8 or 9 timesg. 10 or 11 timesh. 12 or more times
2. The last time you were in a physical fight‚ with whom did you fight?
a. I have never been in a physical fightb. A total strangerc. A friend or someone I knowd. A boyfriend‚ girlfriend‚ or datee. A parent‚ brother‚ sister‚ or other family memberf. Someone not listed aboveg. More than one of the persons listed above
3. During the past 12 months‚ how many times were you in a physical fight in which you were injured and had to be treated by a doctor or nurse?
a. 0 timesb. 1 timesc. 2 or 3 timesd. 4 or 5 timese. 6 or more times
4. During the past 12 months‚ how many times were you in a physical fight on school property?
a. 0 timesb. 1 timec. 2 or 3 timesd. 4 or 5 timese. 6 or 7 timesf. 8 or 9 timesg. 10 or 11 timesh. 12 or more times
(The Youth Risk Behavior Survey has been administered every other year since 1991. Item 2‚ above‚ was included in the 1993 survey.)
These items measure frequency of physical fighting and injuries from fights within the past year.
· Violence and Bullying
· Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior
This instrument can be found on pages 175-176 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at:http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
National population sample of students in grades 9-12.
Individual items can be scored by assigning point values to correspond to response categories. For items with a range‚ a midpoint value can also be assigned. Incidence rates for items 1‚ 3 and 4‚ and standard errors forthese estimates are calculated as follows:
Incidence Rate = Σ(i=1 to n) PiCi
Standard Error = √(ΣCi^2(Var(Pi))
P = the proportion of subjects
i = (1‚2‚3….n) levels of the variable of interest
C = frequency of behavior
Incidence Rate = the proportion of subjects with the behavior of interest (Pi) multiplied by the frequency of that behavior (Ci)‚ or use a midpoint if there is a range.
Standard Error = the square root of the sum of the frequency of the behavior squared (Ci^2) multiplied by the variance of each proportion (Var(Pi)).
Example: Incidence Rate of Physical Fighting Among White Females
i = 1‚2‚3‚4‚5‚6‚7 (1 time‚ 2.5 times‚ 4.5 times‚ 6.5 times‚ 8.5 times‚ 10.5 times‚ 12+ times)
j = 1‚2‚3 (White‚ Black‚ Hispanic)
k = 1‚2 (Female‚ Male)
For white females (j=1‚k=1) the incidence rate can be designated as IRjk or IR11 and calculated as follows:
IR11 = Σ(i=1 to 7)Pi11Ci
Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)‚ Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. New York City Youth Violence Survey. Atlanta‚ GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‚ 1993.
Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)‚ Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Youth Risk Behavior Survey-2003. Atlanta‚ GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‚ 2003.