Conduct the YRBS in odd calendar years to randomly selected TN High School students and to conduct the School Health Profiles in even calendar years to randomly selected Principal and Lead Health Teac - The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a national High School Student survey designed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey began in 1991 and Tennessee’s initial survey was conducted in 1993. The methodology for the survey is a weighted random sample based on all High Schools in Tennessee. The questions on the survey cover categories such as: safety, alcohol use, drug use, nutrition, physical activity, etc. Results of the survey are at the state level and are published on the Coordinated School Health website and the CDC’s Division of Adolescent Health website along with all other participating sites. The data from the survey is used to gain an understanding of what risky types behavior that Tennessee youth are participating in that could harm, kill or have long term negative impacts on student’s health. By monitoring this information over time, we are able to look for both positive and negative trends. For example, we know that tobacco use in our youth has nearly is nearly half compared to data when the survey was initially conducted. The CDC funds this work and we are granted between $60,000 - $100,000 per year based on the CDC budget.
The CDC determined in 1991 that there should be some way to monitor the health and behaviors of United States students. Over time more and more states have participated and now only 3 states in the U.S. have chosen not to (Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington). Information gleaned from this survey over time has had large impacts on research, policy development, and student health trends nationally.
