2020 Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS)

Kimberlee Foster, VDH/Central Virginia Health District

On behalf of LCS School Health Advisory Committee

“

What is YRBS?

National school-based survey conducted by the CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local governments

Nearly all US states participate; goal is to be nationally representative

YRBS aim: Monitor six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults

2

Methodology

• Online survey of 115 questions completed through Google Forms

• Passive permission required by parents

• Administered to 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students in Lynchburg City Schools

3

8th grade 10th grade 12th grade

Number of respondents completing the survey

283 380 251

Percent of enrollment at

time of survey45% 61% 44%

Demographic variables

4

Total number of respondents: 913

Themes to be discussed

Physical health & extracurricular activities

Relationships & social supports

Violence & safety

Mental health

Substance use

5

Physical Health & Extracurricular Activities

6

Youth who describe themselves as overweight

• Approximately 29% of respondents in all grades: 4% increase in negative body image from 2018.

7

Youth who reported NOT being physically active for at least 60 minutes per day at least one day in the past week

• Approximately 28% of respondents in all grades report no days of physical activity in a week: Increase of 5% from 2018.

8

Youth who reported spending 3+ hours on a school day playing video/computer games or using a computer for something besides school

• > 55% of respondents

9

Relationships & Social Supports

10

Social media and threats/intimidation

• Approximately 25% of Lynchburg youth reported receiving threats and intimidation through social media, texting, or online

11

Sexting and inappropriate communication

• 40% of 12th graders received sexually inappropriate messages

• Number received is higher than what is sent

12

Bullying and bystanders

• 50% of respondents reported being a bystander to bullying behaviors

13

Bullying and bystanders

• 12.4% of all respondents reported being bullied daily or several times per day

• 8th graders most often reporting daily bullying

14

Bullying and bystanders

• 11% of respondents report missing 1 or more days of school due to bullying

15

Sexual orientation

• Approximately 25% of youth across grade levels identify as other than heterosexual

16

Sexual partners

• Higher than VA and national averages for 10th and 12th

graders

17

Birth control usage

• Lynchburg youth report using birth control more often than VA and national rates

18

Intimate partner violence

19

• Lynchburg youth are experiencing lower rates of IPV than VA and national rates

Social supports

20

• Youth feel supported with extracurricular activities, communication to parents, and adult/parental supports.

Violence & Safety

21

Carrying weapons

• Below national average in all grades except 8th grade

22

Physical fights

• Despite a high rate of physical fights among 8th graders, numbers decrease in higher grades

23

Victims of domestic violence

• A total of 14.9% of respondents reported having been physically harmed by a family or household member

24

Gang awareness

• As grade level increases, the reported awareness of gang activities in school also increases.

25

Mental Health

26

Sadness and hopelessness

• Over the past five years, there is an increasing trend of feelings of sadness and hopelessness amongst high school students

27

Suicide

• 16.1% of respondents reported considering suicide

• 12.5% made a plan to die by suicide

• 7.4% attempted suicide

28

Substance Use

29

Drugs and illicit substances

• 8th and 10th

graders: access drugs at school

• 12th graders: access drugs in their communities

30

Marijuana

• Rates are lower than VA and national rates

31

Alcohol

• Fewer Lynchburg youth report having their first drink before age 11-13 compared to VA and national data

32

Alcohol

• Lynchburg youth report the majority oftheir parents and friends would think it is wrong for them to drink alcohol

33

Cigarette use

• Rates are lower than VA and national averages

34

Vaping

• Rates are lower than VA and national averages

35

Strengths & Wins

◉ Respondents perceived strong parent, teacher, community, and social supports for reducing violence, increasing safety, and providing extracurricular activities and community programs that support physical activity in the Lynchburg area

◉ Overall low rate of IPV in Lynchburg Youth

◉ The vast majority of youth are not missing multiple days of school

due to fear of bullying

◉ Most youth reported that parents and friends think that it is wrong to smoke cigarettes and to drink alcohol

◉ Lower percentage of 10th and 12th graders who reported drinking in the past month

◉ Vast majority of Lynchburg youth reported never trying illicit drugs

36

Opportunities for growth◉ Continued community engagement

events, activities, and support to promote physical activity (including access to sports physicals, COVID testing, and vaccinations)

◉ Although the vast majority of youth are not missing multiple days of school due to fear of bullying, 11% is not an insignificant number for youth missing one day.

◉ Partnering with non-profit, community, and faith-based organizations to address physical safety, violence reduction, multiple sexual partner risks, birth

control use, exploitation, social media, and online safety.

◉ Increased education on positive relationships, empathy, and mentoring

◉ Increasing trend in Lynchburg youth reporting decline in mental health and an increase in reports of attempted suicide in the past 12 months.

◉ Need to address ease of access to drugs for older youth in the community and younger youth in the school environment.

37

Partner organizations

◉Behavioral health & counseling

◉Community programs

◉Faith-based organizations

◉Fraternal organizations

◉Grant-funded programming

◉Healthcare agencies & professionals

◉Higher educational institutions

◉Schools (SROs, administration, school nurses)

◉State, local, and tribal agencies

◉Substance abuse & recovery programs

◉Youth-serving organizations

38

Special thanks to:

LCS School Health Advisory Committee

Sherry Brown

Andrea Bryant

Faith Towles

Kali Miller

Januwaa Davis

Tonya Price

Tianna Knight

39