Dr. Anne Frankel from Temple University presented the results of the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in Philadelphia at the March 2016 meeting of the Philadelphia HIV Prevention Planning Group.

1. The Youth Risk Behavior
Survey (YRBS)
in Philadelphia, 1991-2015
Anne Frankel, Ph.D.
Temple University College of Public Health
Judith Peters, M.B.A. H.H.S.A.
The School District of Philadelphia
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2. 2
Presentation Scope

3. Overview of YRBS

4. YRBS Categories

5. YRBS Methodology
• A scientifically selected, carefully documented
probability sample of schools.
• Random classrooms within the schools are
selected.
• With approximately 70% completion, the sample
is representative of all 9th
-12th
grade students in the
district
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6. • The survey results for
years 1991 to 2003
and 2007 to 2015
were representative
of all Philadelphia
public high school
students, grades 9 to
12.
• 2005 YRBS data were
unweighted, due to a
return rate of only
55%. Therefore, the
2005 results
represent only those
students who took
the survey and cannot
be generalized to
other students.
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YRBS Methodology

7. 7
YRBS Methodology

8. Participant Characteristics of 2015
Responders
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9. 9
YRBS 2015 Demographics

10. 10
10th
Grade
YRBS 2015 Demographics

11. 11
YRBS 2015 Demographics

12. Tobacco Use
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13. Lifetime History of Smoking:
Have You Ever Smoked a Cigarette?
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14. Current Tobacco Use:
Students who smoked one or more cigarettes in the past 30 days
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15. Current Tobacco Use:
Gender Differences

16. Tobacco Use:
Percentage of students who tried to quit in the past year
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17. Electronic vapor products
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18. Summary:
Tobacco Use
• Since 1991, the percentage of students who have ever
smoked a cigarette has declined from 76% to 34%
• Current smoking continues to decline (5.9%), and
males report slightly higher rates than females
• Rate of students trying to quit (55%) in 2015 is up
from 2013 (45%)
• Almost 40% of students report ever using electronic
vapor products
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19. Alcohol and Other Drug Use
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20. 20
Current Alcohol Use:
Have You Had an Alcoholic Drink in the Last 30 Days?

21. Binge Drinking:
Have You Had More than 5 Drinks in a row in the Last 30 Days?
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22. 22
Drug Use:
Current Marijuana Use

23. 23
PercentageofStudents
Drug Use:
Incidence of Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Ecstasy Use

24. Drug use:
Illegal drugs offered, sold, or given on school property
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25. Summary:
Alcohol and Other Drug Use
• Both prevalence of current alcohol use and rates of
binge drinking have decreased slightly
• Rates of current marijuana use have decreased in
Philadelphia since 2013
• Between 2013 and 2015, rates of cocaine (3.1% to
4.6%) and heroin (1.8% to 3.3%) lifetime use have
increased.
• Illegal drugs bought or sold on school property stable
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26. Body Weight, Nutrition and Physical
Activity
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27. Body Weight:
Prevalence of Obesity and Overweight
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28. 28
Nutrition

29. 29
Physical Activity

30. 30
Screen Time

31. Summary:
Body Weight, Nutrition and Physical Activity
• Rates of obesity and overweight have been stabilizing
• Overall physical activity rates remain stagnant, while
rates of sedentary lifestyle increased slightly (from 22%
to 25%)
• High rates of TV watching have decreased slightly to
33%; recreational computer use rates have increased to
48%
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32. Sexual Risks
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33. 33
Lifetime sexual activity:
Have you ever had sexual intercourse?

34. Current Sexual Activity:
During the past 3 months
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35. 35
Condom Use:
in Sexually Active Students

36. 36
Prevalence of Risky Sex Behaviors

37. 37
Alcohol Consumption:
Prior to Sexual Activity

38. Inter-partner Violence:
Those who Report being Physically Forced to have Sexual Intercourse
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39. 39
Sexting:
Prevalence and Gender Differences

40. Summary:
Sexual Risks
• Half (50%) of students have ever had sex, and 30%
report having sex during the past 3 months
• About 9% have had sex before age 13
• About 1 in 4 report having 4 or more sex partners
• Condom rates are decreasing slightly: from 58% in
2013 to 54% in 2015
• About 1 in 5 students used alcohol before having sex
• Girls are slightly more likely than boys to be a victim of
forced sexual violence
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41. Injury and Violence
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42. Injury:
Seat belt use
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43. Violence:
Weapon carrying and physical fighting
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44. 44
Mental Health:
Suicidal Ideation

45. 45
Mental Health:
Suicide Attempts

46. 46
Mental Health:
Persistent sadness for 2 or more weeks within past year

47. Summary:
Injury and Violence
• More than ¾ of students report wearing seatbelts
• In 2015, physical fighting (35.2%) and carrying a
weapon (12.3) remained steady since 2013
• Thoughts of suicide decreased throughout the 1990s
but have remained stagnant recently
• Reports of attempted suicide in Philadelphia remain
higher than national reports
• Persistent sadness over the past 15 years has been
consistent, but a spike has occurred in 2015 (up 4%)
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48. This work is made possible by
the generous help and
cooperation from the
participating faculty and students
from the School District of
Philadelphia..
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