Youth risk behavior surveillance - United States, 2001

In the United States, approximately three-fourths of all deaths among persons aged 10-24 years result from only four causes: motor-vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Results from the 2001 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey demonstrated that numerous high school students engage in behaviors that increase their likelihood of death from these four causes: 14.1% had rarely or never worn a seat belt during the 30 days preceding the survey; 30.7% had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol; 17.4% had carried a weapon during the 30 days preceding the survey; 47.1% had drunk alcohol during the 30 days preceding the survey; 23.9% had used marijuana during the 30 days preceding the survey; and 8.8% had attempted suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey. Substantial morbidity and social problems among young persons also result from unintended pregnancies and STDs, including HIV infection. In 2001, 45.6% of high school students had ever had sexual intercourse; 42.1% of sexually active students had not used a condom at last sexual intercourse: and 2.3% had ever injected an illegal drug. Two-thirds of all deaths among persons aged greater than or equal to25 years result from only two causes: cardiovascular disease and cancer. The majority of risk behaviors associated with these No causes of death are initiated during adolescence. In 2001, 28.5% of high school students had smoked cigarettes during the 30 days preceding the survey; 78.6% had not eaten greater than or equal to5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables during the 7 days preceding the survey; 10.5% were overweight; and 67.8% did not attend physical education class daily, Health and education officials at national, state, and local levels are using these YRBSS data to analyze and improve policies and programs to reduce priority health-risk behaviors among youth. The YRBSS data also are being used to measure progress toward achieving 16 national health objectives for 2010 and 3 of the 10 leading health indicators.