Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
Overview
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was designed mainly to assess prevalence of high-risk behaviors among youth in the United States. In the instrument itself, questions are asked regarding smoking, dietary habits, physical activity, alcohol and drug use, and high-risk sexual behaviors. The purpose of the YRBS is to provide data for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), while doing the following:
- Determine the prevalence and age of initiation of health-risk behaviors.
- Focus the nation and relevant agencies on specific health-risk behaviors of young people.
- Assess whether health-risk behaviors increase, decrease, or remain the same over time.
- Provide comparable national, state, and local data.
Methodology/validity
The YRBS is conducted every two years, the latest occurring in 2007. Many states, cities, and U.S. territories use the YRBS instrument to assess youth risk behavior.
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