The 2009 Costa Rica GSHS measured alcohol use; dietary behaviors; drug use; hygiene; mental health; physical activity; protective factors; sexual behaviors; tobacco use; and violence and unintentional injury.
The 2009 Costa Rica GSHS was a school-based survey of students in 7th, 8th, and 9th. A two-stage cluster sample design was used to produce data representative of all students in 7th, 8th, and 9th in Costa Rica. At the first stage, schools were selected with probability proportional to enrollment size. At the second stage, classes were randomly selected and all students in selected classes were eligible to participate. The school response rate was 100%, the student response rate was 72%, and the overall response rate was 72%. A total of 2679 students participated in the
Costa Rica GSHS. Students self-reported their responses to each question on a computer scannable answer sheet. For comparison purposes, only students aged 13- 15 years are included in the analyses for this fact sheet.
Alcohol Use
Percentage of students who drank at least one drink containing alcohol on one or more of the past 30 days
Among students who ever had a drink of alcohol (other than a few sips), the percentage who had their first drink of alcohol before age
14 years
Percentage of students who drank so much alcohol that they were really drunk one or more times during their life
Dietary Behaviours
Percentage of students who were underweight (< -2SD from median for BMI for age and sex)
Percentage of students who were overweight (> +1SD from median for BMI for age and sex)
Percentage of students who were obese (> +2SD from median for
BMI for age and sex)
Percentage of students who usually drank carbonated soft drinks one or more times per day during the past 30 days
Drug Use
23.6
(20.4-27.1)
23.4
(19.5-27.7)
79.7
(77.0-82.2)
82.9
(79.1-86.1)
15.8
(13.3-18.6)
15.8
(13.4-18.6)
2.3
(1.6-3.2)
27.8
(25.4-30.2)
8.9
(7.2-10.9)
53.0
(49.6-56.4)
2.5
(1.8-3.5)
28.2
(25.1-31.5)
10.2
(7.8-13.1)
52.6
(47.0-58.2)
Among students who ever used drugs, the percentage who first used drugs before age 14 years
Hygiene
Percentage of students who usually cleaned or brushed their teeth less than one time per day during the past 30 days
Percentage of students who never or rarely washed their hands after using the toilet or latrine during the past 30 days
Mental Health
Percentage of students who ever seriously considered attempting suicide during the past 12 months
Percentage of students who actually attempted suicide one or more times during the past 12 months
Percentage of students who had no close friends
66.4
(58.1-73.9)
70.1
(62.4-76.8)
1.8
(1.3-2.4)
2.0
(1.5-2.8)
10.2
(8.7-12.0)
7.9
(7.0-9.0)
5.5
(4.5-6.6)
2.5
(1.6-3.8)
2.3
(1.5-3.4)
7.5
(5.7-9.7)
5.8
(4.9-6.9)
6.5
(4.7-9.0)
23.6
(20.1-27.5)
76.7
(73.1-80.0)
15.6
(12.5-19.3)
2.1
(1.3-3.4)
27.3
(25.4-29.3)
7.6
(6.0-9.6)
53.4
(50.0-56.7)
*
1.2
(0.6-2.2)
1.8
(1.1-2.8)
12.8
(10.8-15.2)
9.9
(8.4-11.7)
4.4
(3.2-6.0)
2009 Page 1

Physical Activity
Percentage of students who were physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more days during the past seven days
Percentage of students who went to physical education (PE) class on three or more days each week during the school year
Percentage of students who spent three or more hours per day during a typical or usual day doing sitting activities
27.4
(24.2-30.9)
35.9
(31.1-40.9)
19.0
(16.0-22.5)
34.9
(31.5-38.5)
36.5
(32.9-40.2)
33.4
(29.2-37.9)
44.2
(40.8-47.8)
40.5
(36.8-44.3)
47.8
(43.4-52.2)
Protective Factors
Percentage of students who missed classes or school without permission on one or more of the past 30 days
Percentage of students whose parents or guardians understood their problems and worries most of the time or always during the past 30 days
Percentage of students whose parents or guardians really knew what they were doing with their free time most of the time or always during the past 30 days
34.7
(31.5-38.0)
35.4
(31.7-39.3)
46.6
(44.7-48.4)
45.2
(42.3-48.2)
54.5
(50.7-58.1)
52.5
(49.0-56.0)
Sexual Behaviours
33.9
(30.1-37.9)
48.0
(44.9-51.1)
56.5
(52.1-60.9)
Percentage of students who ever had sexual intercourse
Among students who ever had sexual intercourse, the percentage who had sexual intercourse for the first time before age 14 years
Among students who ever had sexual intercourse, the percentage who used a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse
18.4
(16.1-21.0)
54.8
(47.1-62.2)
22.7
(19.6-26.1)
62.7
(52.4-71.9)
64.7
(57.4-71.4)
64.2
(51.9-75.0)
14.1
(11.3-17.5)
41.4
(32.3-51.1)
64.7
(53.7-74.3)
Tobacco Use
Percentage of students who smoked cigarettes on one or more days during the past 30 days
Among students who ever smoked cigarettes, the percentage who first tried a cigarette before age 14 years
Percentage of students who reported people smoked in their presence on one or more days during the past seven days
9.5
(7.8-11.4)
80.0
(76.5-83.1)
50.6
(47.8-53.3)
10.4
(8.1-13.2)
83.8
(77.8-88.4)
50.4
(47.4-53.5)
8.4
(6.5-10.9)
75.1
(72.1-77.9)
50.6
(47.4-53.9)
Violence and Unintentional Injury
Percentage of students who were in a physical fight one or more times during the past 12 months
Percentage of students who were seriously injured one or more times during the past 12 months
Percentage of students who were bullied on one or more days during the past 30 days
22.1
(19.7-24.7)
22.0
(18.1-26.4)
19.0
(17.1-21.1)
32.3
(28.8-35.9)
29.6
(23.5-36.4)
18.4
(15.2-22.0)
12.1
(10.3-14.2)
14.7
(12.5-17.1)
19.6
(16.6-23.0)
* Indicates less than 100 students.
2009 Page 2