 To view the report in PDF format, you first need to
download the free Adobe Acrobat Viewer. The Acrobat Viewer will launch the file so that
you can see the document on your monitor and then print it. Download
Adobe Reader.Download
the Report
|
|
June, 2000 U.S. Department of Health &
Human Services
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta, GA
 Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance -
United States, 1999
Introduction
In the United States, 72% of all deaths among youth and young
adults aged 1024 years
result from only 4 causes motor-vehicle crashes (31%), other
unintentional injuries (11%),
homicide (18%), and suicide (12%) ( 1). Substantial morbidity and
social problems also result
from the approximately 1 million pregnancies that occur each year among females aged 1519 years (
2) and the estimated 3 million cases of sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs) that occur each year among persons aged 1019
years ( 3). Among adults aged
25 years and older, two thirds of all deaths in the United States
result from cardiovascular
disease (42%) and cancer (24%) ( 1). Leading causes of mortality
and morbidity among all age
groups in the United States are related to the following six categories of health behavior:
behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries;
tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that
contribute to unintended
pregnancy and STDs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
infection; unhealthy dietary
behaviors; and physical inactivity. These behaviors are frequently
interrelated and often are
established during youth and extend into adulthood.
To monitor priority health-risk behaviors in each of these
categories among youth and
young adults, CDC developed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance
System (YRBSS) ( 4). The
YRBSS includes national, state, territorial, and local
school-based surveys of high
school students. National surveys were conducted in 1990, 1991,
1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999.*
Comparable state and local surveys were conducted as follows:
| Year of
Survey |
Number
of States |
Number
of Territories |
Number
of Large Cities |
| 1990 |
23 |
0 |
9 |
| 1991 |
26 |
2 |
11 |
| 1993 |
40 |
2 |
14 |
| 1995 |
40 |
4 |
17 |
| 1997 |
38 |
4 |
17 |
| 1999 |
41 |
4 |
17 |
* School-based components of YRBSS were implemented in 1990 and
1991 and biennially during
odd-numbered years thereafter.
This report summarizes results from the 1999 national
school-based survey and trends during
19911999 in selected risk behaviors. Data from 33 state and 16
local school-based surveys
conducted during 1999 are included also. 
|
OPEN MINDS Industry Resources