Sexual behavior among 4 areas surveyed including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, physcial activity and dietary behaviors, and violence, suicide and safety
Health department says this youth data is important to help city improve the health status of community
3,336 high school students surveyed, 4,513 middle schoolers surveyed
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A survey of more than 7,800 middle and high school students sheds light on risky behaviors young people are participating in and helps agencies trying to promote wise choices.
The anonymous survey was conducted by Duval County Public Schools and the Duval County Health Department, paid for by a grant issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The survey covered four general health risk areas; (1) violence, suicide and safety; (2) alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; (3) sexual behaviors; and (4) physical activity and dietary behaviors.
There is good news. The survey showed a significant decrease in alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use among middle school and high school students. There are significant decreases in sexual activity among middle school students and a slight decrease in sexual activity among high-schoolers.
There is a significant decrease in the number of students carrying weapons to school for protection, being involved in fights, and skipping school because they feel unsafe.
"Many of the indicators have seen a downward trend," said Kathleen Bowles, supervisor of the Office of Safe and Healthy Schools with Duval schools, at a meeting where the survey results were released today to various community agencies.
"We are seeing signs of progress and that's very important to us. I am always thrilled when we see our kids making wise choices," said Bowles, who is supervisor of the Office of Safe and Healthy Schools with the Duval County School Board.
On the negative side, suicide attempts among high school students are up significantly. Bullying is on the rise among all age students. And there has been a significant decrease in physical activity among middle school kids.
"What concerns me a lot is the level of physical activity we are missing out on," said Dr. Robert Harmon, director of the Duval County Health Department. "We are slipping instead of moving in the right direction. Se we need to get away from screens and computer games and televisions and get out to enjoy our beautiful clkimate and become more physcially active as a family."
Various community agencies got together to discuss intervention and prevention programs they can implement to improve the numbers. All agree is it is a community wide issue, everyone needs to get involved. Even the students surveyed. "We need the kids as peers to give the right example, and spread the word among thier peers," said Harmson.
The survey was also broken down into results for six different health zones in the city, in order to better target those kids that need counseling and prevention messages.
"It might be drugs in one area, it might be bullying in another area, it might be sexuality in another. It helps us to refine the programs and getting them to the audience that needs it the most." said Bowles.
The survey is part of a national effort by CDC to gather information about behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and social problems.
"Often times the risk behavior leads them to not live a healthy, productive, active life,"said Bowles. "In some cases it could lead to an early death, and that is not something any of us would want in our community."
First Coast News