Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Pollard Middle School 2004 Student Risky Behaviors

Purpose To focus attention on specific To focus attention on specific behaviors that result in death and behaviors that result in death and injury among teens and young adults injury among teens and young adults To assess whether those behaviors To assess whether those behaviors change overtime change overtime To provide comparable data To provide comparable data

2004 MS YRBS N = 348 8th Grade Students w/Comparison Data 8th Graders th Graders th Graders th Graders 2002

Six Categories that have been identified as Risky Behaviors  Unintentional Injury & Violence  Tobacco Use  Alcohol and Other Drug Use  Sexual Behaviors  Dietary Behaviors  Physical Inactivity

2003 MS YRBS 2003 MS YRBS  Unintentional Injury & Violence  Seat Belts  Helmets  Riding with Someone under the Influence of Alcohol  Weapons  Physical Fights  Bullying  Depression  Suicide

Key  Red = High  Mint Green = Low

Unintentional Injury & Violence Seat Belt & Helmet Use Seat Belt 77% 81% 79% Bicycle Helmet 44% 43% 42% Roller Blade25% 27% 18% Skateboard Helmet

Unintentional Injury & Violence Vehicle Safety  Ridden in a car driven by someone 22% 27% 18% who had been driven by someone 22% 27% 18% who had been drinking alcohol drinking alcohol

Unintentional Injury & Violence Unintentional Injury & Violence  Females more likely to wear a seat belt across all three surveys  Females use of seat belts has improved over time  Females more likely to wear a bike helmet

Unintentional Injury & Violence Vehicle Safety  No difference between males and females riding in car driven by someone under the influence

Unintentional Injury & Violence Weapons & Physical Fights  Carried a weapon 21% 14% 16%  Physical Fights 58% 48% 44%  Fights w/Medical 09% 06% 04%

Unintentional Injury & Violence Weapons  Decrease in reports of carrying a weapon  More MS students report carrying a weapon than HS students  More males report carrying a weapon

Unintentional Injury & Violence Physical Fights ã Decrease in the number of physical fights over time ã Males more apt to be in physical fights

Unintentional Injury & Violence Bullying  Bullied or Harassed % 19%

Unintentional Injury & Violence Bullied or Harassed Unintentional Injury & Violence Bullied or Harassed ) Hallways (before & after school) 37% 2) Hallways (between classes) 25% 3) Cafeteria 12% ) Hallways (between classes) 28% 2) Cafeteria 25% 3) Hallways (before and after classes) 22%

Unintentional Injury & Violence Bullying & Harassment ã Has remained consistent over time ã Most likely to occur in 6th grade ã Males most likely to report

Unintentional Injury & Violence Depression & Suicide Thoughts18% 20% 12% Thoughts18% 20% 12% Made a plan 11% 14% 10% Made a plan 11% 14% 10% Have tried 05% 06% 04% Have tried 05% 06% 04%

Unintentional Injury & Violence Depression & Suicide  Lowest % for all categories  MS Data is consistent with HS Data  Serious for both males & females

Improvements Unintentional Injuries  Fewer students have ridden in a car driven by someone under the influence  Fewer Physical Fights  Depression and thoughts of death are on the decline.  Fewer students carrying weapons

Areas of Focus  Fewer students wearing seatbelts  Fewer students wearing helmets

Seat Belt Use  Signs for areas where parents pick up their children to remind them to “BUCKLE- UP”

Helmet Use  Working with the Massachusetts Head Injury Prevention Association to learn more about what can be done to encourage helmet use

2003 MS YRBS  Tobacco Use

Tobacco Use Tried Cigarette 27% 20% 09% Regular Use 09% 07% 08% Regular Use 09% 07% 08% Smokeless 14% 04% 03% Smokeless 14% 04% 03% Cigar Use 13% 08% 04% Cigar Use 13% 08% 04%

Have tried a cigarette  Most 8th Graders have not (91%)  Of those who have…half male & half female

HS YRBS Trends suggest that students are most apt to have their first cigarette in middle school  %  %  %  %  %

Improvements  Most MS students (91%) have not tried a cigarette  Use of all tobacco products are at an all time low (cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco)  Fewer students are trying cigarettes for the first time in MS

Area of Focus ã 9% (31 students) have tried cigarettes cigarettes  8% identify as regular users Find these kids and provide intervention Find these kids and provide intervention

2003 MS YRBS 2003 MS YRBS  Alcohol and Other Drug Use

Alcohol Use Have Had Alcohol 40% 37% 31% Have Had Alcohol 40% 37% 31% First Drink Age 10 or Younger 37% 30% 21% Age 10 or Younger 37% 30% 21%

Alcohol Use Trends  The % of students reporting that they have consumed alcohol has declined over time  Males more likely to have had a drink  Males more likely to have had first drink in elementary school

HS YRBS trends suggest that students are most apt to have their first drink of alcohol in middle school  %  %  %  %  %

Other Drug Use Marijuana Use 16% 12% 09% Marijuana Use 16% 12% 09% Cocaine Use 04% 03% 03% Cocaine Use 04% 03% 03% Inhalants 08% 07% 08% Steroid Use 02% 01% 01% Steroid Use 02% 01% 01% Injected Illegal Drug 02% 02% 02% Injected Illegal Drug 02% 02% 02%

Trends  Marijuana use is at all time low in middle school  Decrease in use by MS males  Increase in use by MS females  HS data reveal that 25% of those who use try marijuana for the first time in MS

HS YRBS trends suggest that most students do not use other drugs HS YRBS trends suggest that most students do not use other drugs Cocaine 05% (04% - 05%) Inhalants 04% (04% - 12%) Steroid Use 02% (02% - 06%) Injected/Illegal Drug 02% (01% - 15%) Hallucinogenic Drugs 11% (09% - 15%) Heroin 02% (02% - 10%) * Ecstasy 06% ( *No Data )

Improvements  The percentage of students who report they have used alcohol has declined  Students who have had a drink, waited until they were older to have their first drink  Other drug use has declined or remained the same

Area of Focus Marijuana use among MS students has declined The 2003 HS data reveal that the percentage of students who have tried marijuana at least once has increased by 22 percentage points Work with law enforcement to monitor marijuana use in community

2003 MS YRBS  Sexual Behaviors

Sexual Behavior Abstinence Most MS students have not had sexual intercourse 89% Most HS students have not had sexual intercourse 74% (2003) 74% (2003)

Sexual Behavior Have had sexual Have had sexual intercourse 12% 13% 09% intercourse 12% 13% 09% Female % remained consistent Female % remained consistent Male % decreased over time Male % decreased over time Of those who have - 60% report that they or their partner used a condom Of those who have - 60% report that they or their partner used a condom

Sexual Behavior Have had oral sex % Have had oral sex % (51 Students) (51 Students) Almost half (22 students) reported Almost half (22 students) reported 2 or more partners 2 or more partners Males more likely than females Males more likely than females

HS YRBS trends suggest that of those students who have had sexual intercourse… …they are most apt to have sexual intercourse for the first time in high school

Data is Consistent  Most MS students (89%) have not had sexual intercourse  This percentage has remained consistent over time

Areas of Focus  Find ways to encourage parents to talk (and continue to talk) to their children  Continue parent interviews as part of homework in health education  Continue the 5th grade health unit on puberty

MS YRBS Monitors 6 Behaviors MS YRBS Monitors 6 Behaviors  Dietary Behaviors

Dietary Behaviors & Weight Control Right Weight 55% 51% 54% Trying to Lose 40% 40% 39% Consistent with HS data Consistent with HS data

Dietary Behaviors  Almost twice as many females reported that they are trying to lose weight across all three surveys  Consistently about half of all 8th grade girls are trying to lose weight

Dietary Behaviors & Weight Control Healthy Weight Control Exercise 71% 60% 61% Exercise 71% 60% 61% Fewer Calories 50% 47% 44% Fewer Calories 50% 47% 44%

Dietary Behaviors & Weight Control Unhealthy Weight Control Gone w/out eating 16% 11% 10% Gone w/out eating 16% 11% 10% Pills/powders 05% 03% 02% Pills/powders 05% 03% 02% Vomited/laxatives 06% 04% 05% Vomited/laxatives 06% 04% 05%

Dietary Behaviors  NOTE: It is not clear how many students might by combining both healthy and unhealthy methods of weight loss

Areas of Improvement  The number of students who are practicing unhealthy weight control has declined

Areas of Focus  Pollard Nutrition Committee has established guidelines for serving nutritious food in school as part of celebrations and snacks  Teaching more about proper dieting and the dangers of fad dieting

2003 MS YRBS 2003 MS YRBS  Physical Inactivity

Physical Activity Vigorous Activity Vigorous Activity 83% 80% 78% Physical Education 87% 96% 93% Sports Teams 78% 73% 75% Watching TV 3 hrs+ 22% 25% 20%

Physical Activity Vigorous Activity NOTE: Survey does not indicate how many students participate in vigorous physical activity on their own time

Improvements in Most Categories  Suggests that messages promoted in K-8 health programs and school wellness initiatives are working Anti-Bullying at Elementary Level Anti-Bullying at Elementary Level Responsive Classroom at Elementary Level Responsive Classroom at Elementary Level Middle School Health Curriculum Middle School Health Curriculum Peer Mediation at Pollard Peer Mediation at Pollard System-wide Wellness Goal System-wide Wellness Goal Social-Emotional Learning K-12Social-Emotional Learning K-12

MS Focus on Citizenship  Students Take Action Day  Recognize students for making positive contributions that support charitable causes  Students of the Month - for being good citizens

Healthy students are better able and better prepared for learning Increase in MCAS scores with this class

Smarter students make better decisions Less Risky Behavior

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