Key points
- The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) measures health-related behaviors and experiences that can lead to death and disability among youth and adults.
- Results help monitor health trends, identify emerging issues, and plan and evaluate programs that can help improve adolescent health.
Overview
YRBSS monitors adolescent health behavior changes over time. It identifies emerging issues, and plans and evaluates programs to support youth health. Overall, it gives the best picture of what is going on at national, state, and local levels.
The data is used to inform school and community programs, communications campaigns, and other efforts. The YRBSS captures the health-related behaviors and experiences of American youth including:
- 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.
Purpose of YRBSS
The YRBSS was designed to:
- Determine how often unhealthy behaviors occur
- Assess whether unhealthy behaviors increase, decrease, or stay the same over time
- Provide data at the national, state, territorial and freely associated state, tribal, and local levels
- Provide data comparing different groups of adolescents
- Monitor progress toward achieving the Healthy People Objectives and other program goals
Why it is important
YRBSS results help monitor adolescent health behavior changes over time, identify emerging issues, and plan and evaluate programs to support the health of youth.
Susan Court, former YRBS state coordinator and health enhancement specialist at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, explains the importance of CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and how it sheds light on the health issues students are facing. She explains how YRBSS data can be used to improve adolescent health and well-being.
Did you know?
Components of the YRBSS
The YRBSS is a system of surveys. It includes:
- A national survey, called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), conducted by CDC that includes high school students from both private and public schools within the U.S.
- Surveys conducted by departments of health and education at the state, tribal, territorial, or local levels of their respective public high school students