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Summary of Surveillance Activities

Surveillance is the ongoing collection, analysis, and interpretation of data from generalizable samples. CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) collects data on youth and school health policies and practices.

Printable brochure available as a PDF file [356K]

  Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) School Health Policies and Practices Study
(SHPPS)
School Health Profiles
(Profiles)
National State/Territorial/
Tribal/District
Other
Purpose
  • To determine the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among students

  • To assess trends in these behaviors

  • To examine the co-occurrence of health-risk behaviors
To provide national data on eight components of school health at the state, school district, school, and classroom levels To provide data on health policies and activities at schools for states and large urban school districts, territories, and tribal governments
Content
  • Unintentional injuries and violence

  • Tobacco use

  • Alcohol and other drug use

  • Sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection

  • Unhealthy dietary behaviors

  • Physical inactivity

  • Obesity

  • Asthma
  • Health education

  • Physical education and activity

  • Health services

  • Mental health and social services

  • Nutrition services

  • Healthy and safe school environment

  • Faculty and staff health promotion

  • Family and community involvement
  • School health education requirements and content

  • Physical education requirements

  • School health policies related to HIV infection/AIDS, tobacco-use prevention, and nutrition

  • Asthma management activities

  • Family and community involvement in school health programs
Sample

Nationally representative sample of public and private high school students

Representative sample of public high school students in each jurisdiction Representative samples of students in:
  • Middle schools

  • Alternative schools
  • All states

  • Nationally representative sample of school districts

  • Nationally representative sample of public and private elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools
Representative sample of public middle schools and high schools in each state, territory, tribal government,  or school district
Methods Self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaires, conducted in classrooms Computer-assisted personal interviews, Web-based surveys, and self-administered, mailed questionnaires Self-administered, mailed questionnaires
Timing Biennially, since 1991 Varied Every 6 years, since 1994 Biennially, since 1994
Example Statements In 2011, 48.6% of Hispanic female high school students in the U.S. attended physical education classes on 1 or more days in an average week when they were in school. In 2011, 26.5% of female high school students in Kentucky attended physical education classes on 1 or more days in an average week when they were in school. In 2011, 88.2% of middle school students in Wyoming attended physical education classes on 1 or more days in an average week when they were in school.

State:
In 2006, 70.5% of states required districts or schools to follow national or state physical education standards or guidelines.

District:
In 2006, 68.9% of districts had someone oversee or coordinate physical education.

School:
In 2006, 78.3% of schools required students to take some physical education.

In 2010, 78.0% of secondary schools in Arizona required physical education for students in any of grades 6 through 12.
Ownership of Data CDC States, territories, tribal governments, and school districts Varied CDC States, territories, tribal governments, and school districts
Contractor ICF Macro, Inc., an ICF International Company Westat, Inc., plus companies hired by states, territories, tribal governments, and school districts Varied ICF Macro, Inc., an ICF International Company Westat, Inc., plus companies hired by states, territories, tribal governments, and school districts
Web Site www.cdc.gov/yrbs www.cdc.gov/shpps www.cdc.gov/schoolhealthprofiles
* Surveillance is the ongoing collection, analysis, and interpretation of data from generalizable samples.
 
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