2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
West Virginia Department of Education
April 2008
2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The West Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is
The 2007 YRBS was conducted in the spring of 2007. A
an 87-item self-reporting questionnaire that is administered
total of 35 public high schools were randomly selected
every two years by the West Virginia Department of
from around the state, with 34 choosing to participate.
Education. The survey is made possible with funding from
Survey procedures were designed to protect the privacy of
the United States Centers for Disease Control and
students by allowing for anonymous and voluntary
Prevention (CDC). The survey monitors adolescent risk
participation. Parental permission procedures were
behaviors related to the leading causes of morbidity and
followed at the local level before surveys were
mortality among youth and adults.
administered to students. In total, 1,393 students in grades
9 through 12 participated in this voluntary and anonymous
The YRBS is one component of the Youth Risk Behavior
survey, indicative of a 77% student response rate. The
Surveillance System (YRBSS) developed by the Centers
overall response rate was 75%. The 97% participation
for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with
rates from individual schools along with the high levels of
representatives from state and local departments of
student response rates allow survey results to be
education and health, other federal agencies, and national
generalized to all public high school students across West
education and health organizations. The Youth Risk
Virginia.
Behavior Surveillance System was designed to focus the
The weighted demographic characteristics of the sample
nation on behaviors among youth related to the leading
are as follows:
causes of mortality and morbidity among both youth and
adults and to assess how these risk behaviors change over
Sex:
Female 48.9%
Male 51.1%
time.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System measures
behaviors that fall into six categories:
1. Behaviors that result in unintentional injuries and
violence;
2. Tobacco use;
3. Alcohol and other drug use;
4. Sexual behaviors that result in HIV infection, other
sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended
pregnancies;
Grade level
9th grade 28.6%
10th grade 25.6%
11th grade 23.4%
12th grade 22.0%
Race:
White* 93.8%
Black* 4.5%.
Hispanic/ Latino 0.7%;
Multiple races 0.5%
All other races 0.5%
Other races 0.3%
*Non-Hispanic
5. Dietary behaviors;
6. Physical activity.
The following is a brief synopsis of major survey results,
and comparisons shown is the 2007 YRBS data compared
The YRBS also measures self-reported height and weight
to the 2005 and 2003 YRBS statistics.
to allow calculation of body mass index. The survey also
measures self-reported health data associated with asthma.
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2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
RESULTS
TOBACCO USE
 The percentage of students who ever tried cigarette
smoking decreased from 62.8% in 2003, and 60.7% in
2005, to 59.3% in 2007.

Early initiation of cigarette smoking (i.e., before age
13) decreased from 27.7% in 2003, and 24.2% in
2005, to 21.5% in 2007.

Cigar smoking was at 15.6% in 2003, and then
decreased from 15.6% in 2005 to 14.5% in 2007.

Smokeless tobacco use was at 13.6% in 2003 then
increased to14.9% and 14.8% respectably in 2005 and
2007.





The percentage of students who smoked cigarettes on
20 or more of the past 30 days decreased from 17.7%
in 2003 to13.6% in 2005, and then increased to 14.4%
in 2007.

2003 to 41.5% in 2005, and then increased to 43.5%
in 2007.

Students who had at least one drink of alcohol on one
or more days during their life decreased from 76.1%
in 2003 to 74.1%, and then increased to 75.4% in
2007.

Binge drinking (i.e., consuming five or more drinks in
a row within a couple of hours) in the past month,
decreased from 33.5% in 2003 to 28.8% in 2005, and
then increased to 29.5% in 2007.
ILLEGAL DRUG USE
 The use of marijuana one or more times during their
life decreased from 43.7% in 2003 to 38.7% in 2005,
and then increased to 40.9% in 2007.

Current cigarette smoking (i.e., smoking 10 or more
cigarettes per day on the days they smoked during the
past 30 days) decreased from 20.2% in 2003 to 18.0%
in 2005, and then increased to 20.3% in 2007.
The percentage of students who tried marijuana for the
first time before age 13 decreased from 12.3% in
2003 to 9.9% in 2005, and then increased to 11.3% in
2007.

Smoking on school property decreased from 9.8% in
2003 to 8.3% in 2005, and then increased to 8.8% in
2007.
The use of marijuana in the 30 days before the survey
decreased from 23.1% in 2003 to 19.6% in 2005, and
then increased to 23.5% in 2007.

Daily cigarette smoking during the past month (one or
more of the past 30 days) decreased from 20.2% in
2003 to 13.6% in 2005, and then increased to 14.4%
in 2007.
Marijuana use on school property increased from
4.5% in 2003 to 4.9% in 2005, and then to 5.8% in
2007...

Those who smoked cigarettes or cigars used smokeless
or chewing tobacco on one or more of the past 30 days
decreased from 35.0% in 2003 to 32.7% in 2005, and
then increased to 34.5% in 2007.
Students who used any form of cocaine one or more
times during their life increased from 10.9% in 2003
to 11.3% in 2005, and then decreased slightly to
11.1% in 2007.

Students who sniffed glue, breathed the contents of
aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to
get high one or more time during their life increased
significantly from 15.1% in 2003, 16.0% in 2005, to
19.2% in 2007.

Lifetime methamphetamine use decreased from
11.3% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2005, and then to 8.1% in
2007.

The percentage of students who were offered, sold, or
given an illegal drug by someone on school property
during the past 12 months decreased from 26,5% in
2003 to 24.8% in 2005, and then increased to 28.6%
in 2007..
ALCOHOL USE
 Early initiation of alcohol use (i.e., before age 13),
increased from 27.4% in 2003 to 30.9% in 2005, and
then decreased to 27.6% in 2007.


Alcohol use on school property increased from 4.1%
in 2003 to 6.4% in 2005, and then decreased to 5.5%
in 2007.
Students who had at least one drink of alcohol on one
or more of the past 30 days decreased from 44.4% in
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2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INJURY AND VIOLENCE
 The percentage of students who drove a car or other
vehicle one or more times in the past month when they
had been drinking alcohol decreased from 12.0% in
2003 to 10.6% in 2005, and then to 10.0% in 2007.
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND SEXUALITY
EDUCATION
 The percentage of students who had sexual intercourse
for the first time before age 13 decreased from 7.3%
in 2003 and 2005 to 6.5% in 2007.

Weapon carrying in the past month such as a gun,
knife or club increased from 20.7% in 2003 to 22.3%
in 2005, and then decreased to 21.3% in 2007.

The percentage of students who have ever had sexual
intercourse increased from 52.0% in 2003 to 52.5%,
and then to 53.7% in 2007.

Gun carrying during the past 30 days decreased from
10.5% in 2003 to 7.6% in 2005, and then dropped to
4.9% in 2007.

Students who had sexual intercourse with four or more
people during their life decreased from 16.5% in 2003
to 14.8% in 2005, and then increased back to 16.5%
in 2007.

Weapon carrying on school property such as a gun,
knife or club increased from 6.6% in 2003 to 8.5% in
2005, and then decreased to 6.9% in 2007.

Of the students who had sexual intercourse during the
past three months, the percentage who drank alcohol
or used drugs prior to decreased from 24.6% in 2003
to 20.7% in 2005, and then increased to 22.3% in
2007.

The percentage of students who say they have ever
been taught in school about AIDS or HIV increased
from 88.9% in 2003 to 89.6%, and then decreased to
87.8% in 2007.

Among the students who had sexual intercourse during
the past three months, the percentage who used birth
control pills decreased from 24.6% in 2003 to 24.0 in
2005, and then increased to 25.0% in 2007.




The percentage of students who did not go to school
on one or more days in the past month because they
felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school
has increased from 5.9% in 2003 to 6.4% in 2005, and
then to 6.8% in 2007.
The percentage of students who were in a physical
fight on school property one or more times during the
past year increased from 10.3% in 2003 to 12.1% in
2005, and then to 12.9% in 2007.
Students who were every hit, slapped, or physically
hurt on purpose by their boyfriend/girlfriend during
the past year decreased from 11.4% in 2003 to 9.2%
in 2005, and then increased to 11.8% in 2007.
The percentage of students who never or rarely wore a
seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else
increased from 15.2% in 2003 and 2005 to 16.6% in
2007.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND DIETARY
BEHAVIORS
 In 2007, 17.0% of all students were at risk for
becoming overweight, an increase from16.0% in 2005
and 15.1% in 2003.

SUICIDAL THINKING AND BEHAVIOR
 The percentage of students who have seriously
considered suicide in the past year decreased from
17.8% in 2003 to16.9% in 2005, and then to 16.0% in
2007.
The percent of students who were overweight
increased from 13.7% in 2003 to 14.5% in 2005 and
14.7% in 2007.

The percentage of students who described themselves
as slightly or very overweight decreased from 34.9%
in 2003 to 33.7% in 2005 and 31.0% in 2007.

The percentage of students who actually attempted
suicide one or more times during the past year
decreased from 9.3% in 2003 to 8.8% in 2005, and
then increased to 9.1% in 2007.

The percentage of students who were trying to lose
weight decreased from 51.0% in 2003 to 49.4% in
2005, and then increased to 45.4% in 2007.


Having made a suicide attempt requiring medical
treatment increased from 2.5% in 2003 and 2005 to
3.4% in 2007.
The percent of youth who ate the recommended five or
more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
increased from 20.6% in 2003 to 22.1% in 2005, then
decreased to 19.8% in 2007.
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2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 Students who were physically active for a total of at
least 60 minutes per day on five or more days last
week increased from 37.3% to 42.8%. There were
not results from 2003.

increased from 33.9% in 2003 to 38.5% in 2005, and
then decreased to 32.0% in 2007. (Video games,
computers, and text messaging were not included in
this measurement).
Students who drank three or more glasses of milk per
day during the past seven days decreased from 18.6%
in 2003 to 17.3% in 2005 and 16.7% in 2007.
The percentage of students who watched three or more
hours per day of TV on an average school day

Students who attended physical education classes
daily in an average week increased from 28.6% in
2003 to 31.7%, and then decreased to 25.5% in 2007.
SUMMARY OF OTHER KEY FINDINGS
 The percentage of students who had ever been told by
a doctor or nurse that they had asthma increased from
23.7% in 2005 to 24.6 in 2007.
CONCLUSION
The 2007 YRBS results highlight concerns and significant disappointments in reducing adolescent risk behaviors in the state.
Many measures of substance use, violence, and suicide have increased slightly over the past two years.
A few areas, notably those related to nutrition and physical activity, have not improved in recent years. In fact, more West
Virginia youth are overweight or at risk of overweight than ever before. This is of special concern because of the current
national epidemic of obesity.
It is important that we continue to maintain the positive momentum in those areas of success, and that efforts to improve dietary
behaviors and physical activity among youth be strengthened. Comprehensive and coordinated school health programs and
continued emphasis on the relationship between health and academic achievement can contribute toward these goals.
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2007 WEST VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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