R isky Behaviors Among Pitt County Youth 2007

Data collection  Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered to middle school students taking health/physical education in April/May 2007 n = % female 38.5% white 44.9% black  All behaviors  Student Risk Behavior Survey administered to high school students in April/May 2007 n = % female 42.1% white 41.2% black  Drug behaviors only

Personal Safety

Ridden in car with drinking driver

Seat belts and bicycle helmets  9.3% of middle school students rarely or never wore a seat belt when riding in a car while 43.3% reported they always wear a seatbelt.  Of the students that reported riding a bicycle, 75.1% rarely or never wore a helmet. 9.3% always wear a helmet.

Violence and Safety

Fighting and weapons  61.2% of middle school students had ever been in a physical fight  6.1% had been in a physical fight in which he/she was hurt and needed to be treated by a doctor or nurse.  39.3% of students reported they had ever carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club.

Harassment and bullying  35.0% of the middle school students had been the victim of teasing or name calling because of their weight, size, or physical appearance in the past 30 days.  5.3% had not gone to school during the past 30 days because he/she felt unsafe at school or on the way to school.  27.8% had been harassed or bullied on school property during the past 12 months.  57.8% agreed/strongly agreed that harassment/bullying by other students is a problem at school.

Suicide and Depression

Thinking about and planning suicide

Depression  In 2007, 22.8% of middle school students said they felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities.

Substance Use

Experimental substance use: Middle school

Current substance use: Middle school

High school substance use  35% have smoked a whole cigarette  21% have smoked in the last 30 days  63% have had a drink containing alcohol  37% have consumed alcohol in the last 30 days  41% have tried marijuana  25% have used marijuana in the last 30 days

Perception of risk

Perception of parental disapproval

Perception of peer disapproval

Experimentation with other substances  14% of middle school students and 18% of high school students have used inhalants  5% of middle school students have taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription  4% of middle schoolers and 10% of high schoolers have used some form of cocaine in lifetime  4% of middle school students have used steroids

Body Image

Weight loss tactics  Students describing themselves as: slightly or very underweight 21.7% about the right weight 54.8% slightly or very overweight 23.5  43.6% of students said they were trying to lose weight.

Nutrition

 On a typical day, students reported: 37.9% eat 3 or more servings of fruit. 27.2% eat 3 or more servings of vegetables. 50.4% drink a soft drink or sweetened beverage 3 or more times. 75.6% drank at least one glass of milk.  In the past 7 days: 38.9% had eaten breakfast every day 34.3% had eaten dinner at home with family every day.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

Days of 60 minutes of physical activity in past week

Sedentary behavior 44.4% of children reported watching 3 or more hours of TV on an average school day and 58.6% on an average weekend day. 30.7% of students reported watching 5 or more hours of TV on an average weekend day.

For more information, contact: Susan Morrissey Research Associate ECU Dept of Family Medicine