Health risk behaviors of Texas students attending dropout prevention/recovery schools in 1997

This study determined prevalence of health risk behaviors of 9th through 12 th grade students attending dropout prevention/recovery alternative schools in Teras in 1997 Participants were 470 youth whose health risk behaviors w ere assessed using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in an anonymous, self-adm inistered format. Behaviors measured included frequency of weapon-carrying and fighting, suicide-related behaviors, substance use, and sexual behavior s. A substantial percentage of alternative school students reported partici pating in behaviors that placed them at acute or chronic health risk. Diffe rences in the prevalence of risk behaviors were noted by gender, racial/eth nic, and age subgroups. In addition, alternative school students frequently engaged in multiple risk behaviors. These findings suggest a need for comp rehensive school-based health education/intervention programs to reduce the prevalence of risk behaviors in populations of alternative school students .