Youth risk behavior surveillance - United States, 1999

Priority health-risk behaviors, which contribute to the leading causes of m ortality and morbidity among youth and adults, often are established during youth, extend into adulthood, are interrelated, and are preventable. The Y outh Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of p riority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults - behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnan cy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (including human immunodeficien cy virus [HIV] infection); unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inacti vity. The YRBSS includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC as well as state, territorial, and local school-based surveys conducted by ed ucation and health agencies. This report summarizes results from the nation al survey, 33 state surveys, and 16 local surveys conducted among high scho ol students during February through May 1999. In the United States, approximately three fourths of all deaths among perso ns aged 10-24 years result from only four causes: motor vehicle crashes, ot her unintentional injuries homicide, and suicide. Results from the 1999 nat ional Youth Risk Behavior Survey demonstrate that numerous high school stud ents engage in behaviors that increase their likelihood of death from these four causes 16.4% had rarely or never worn a seat belt; during the 30 days preceding the survey, 33.1% had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol; 17.3% had carried a weapon during the 30 days preceding the surve y; 50.0% had drunk alcohol during the 30 days preceding the survey; 26.7% h ad used marijuana during the 30 days preceding the survey; and 7.8% had att empted suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey. Substantial morbi dity and social problems among young persons also result from unintended pr egnancies and STDs, including HN infection. In 1999, nationwide, 49.9% of h igh school students had ever had sexual intercourse, 42.0% of sexually acti ve students had not used a condom at last sexual intercourse; and 1.8% had ever injected an illegal drug. Two thirds of all deaths among persons aged greater than or equal to 25 years result from only two causes - cardiovascu lar disease and cancer The majority of risk behaviors associated with these two causes of death are initiated during adolescence. In 1999, 34.8% of hi gh school students had smoked cigarettes during the 30 days preceding the s urvey; 76.1% had not eaten greater than or equal to 5 servings/day of fruit s and vegetables during the 7 days preceding the survey; 16.0% were at risk for becoming overweight,- and 70.9% did not attend physical education clas s daily. These YRBSS data are already being used by health and education officials a t national, state, and local levels to analyze and improve policies and pro grams 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.