COMPARISON OF SELECTED HEALTH RISK BEHAVIORS BETWEEN ADOLESCENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH-SCHOOLS IN SOUTH-CAROLINA

This study examined differences in selected health risk behaviors amon g 5,517 students attending public high schools (PUBHS) and 1,089 stude nts attending private high schools (PVTHS) in South Carolina. The 1995 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey was used to collect self-report inform ation on adolescent risk behaviors Chi-square analyses, were performed for comparing public and private students on selected risk behaviors. Both PUBHS and PVTHS students reported substantial involvement in mos t of the risk-taking behaviors examined. PUBHS students, in general, w ere more likely to report higher prevalence rates than PVTHS students for most of the selected health risk behaviors. However, PVTHS student s reported even higher prevalence rates than PUBHS students for alcoho l use, driving after drinking, and binge drinking; smoking cigarettes (past 30 days); chewing tobacco (males only); marijuana use during the past 30 days (females only); and use of alcohol or other drugs before last act of sexual intercourse. Results suggest attendance at a priva te high school is not a panacea for protection against adolescent risk behaviors, and that all high school students could benefit from a coo rdinated school health program.