Survey Administrator Training Office of Family Health Services Virginia Department of Health 2015

Purpose of the VYS The Virginia Youth Survey (VYS) has been developed to monitor priority health risk behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia Youth Survey is conducted by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education using funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey measures various behaviors including: Behaviors related to injuries and violence Alcohol and other drug use Dietary behaviors Physical activity Additional technical information and data are available on the VDH website:

The VYS ask teens questions about behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability.

Purpose of the VYS VYS results will help measure how many youth engage in health risk behaviors and how many practice health-promoting behaviors. This year’s results will be compared with previous years' results to see trends over time (see example to the left for smoking trends). The survey results will be used to create school and community programs to encourage health and safety and to reduce risk behaviors.

Importance of Survey Procedures This year 154 schools throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia will participate in the VYS Over 10,000 middle and high school students will complete the survey In order to ensure consistency across each participating school and classroom VDH is providing the following helpful documents: o This PowerPoint (Survey Administrator Training) o Instructions for Virginia Youth Survey Administrators o Script for Survey Administrators Please review each document before administering the survey in the classroom

Survey Materials VDH will provide the following materials before your survey administration date: Survey booklets Answer sheets (Scantron) #2 pencils Envelope in which students can put their completed Answer Sheets Pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelope for shipping Answer Sheets unless a prior arrangement has been made for the surveys to be picked up by a VDH staff member

Administering the Survey to Students Record on the Classroom-Level Sample Information Form the number of students enrolled in the class Take attendance Read directions aloud to the students before they begin the survey Remind students not to write their names on the survey materials Allow enough time for students to complete the survey Students should only use #2 pencils to complete the survey Do not review survey responses as students turn in their answer sheets Once all students have turned in their questionnaire booklets and answer sheets, record the number of students in the class who completed the survey on the Classroom-Level Sample Information Form

Survey Environment Spread out the desks so students can sit as far apart as possible Do not allow anyone to talk or wander around the classroom once the survey has begun

Answer Sheets The bubbles on the back of the Answer Sheets do not need to be filled-in. Please leave the bubbles blank.

Confidentiality Survey administrators help to protect the confidentiality of schools and the anonymity of students, improve the quality of data collected, and increase survey response rates Please sign and return the Assurance of Confidentiality for Survey Administrators Form (on the right). Please, do not review survey responses as students turn in their answer sheets

Returning the Survey Materials Bundle the Classroom-Level Sample Information Form/s, and all the answer sheets for each class together. Please return the Assurance of Confidentiality for Surveys Administrators Form/s The bundles and form/s should be placed in the pre-addressed, postage- paid UPS envelope Please keep the pencils and dispose of the survey questionnaires

Please or call with any questions Sarah Conklin Office of Family Health Services Virginia Department of Health 109 Governor Street, Room 1026G Richmond, VA