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CDC: Fewer high school students having sex, using illicit drugs
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The percentage of U.S. high school students who reported having sexual intercourse or using illicit drugs has dropped over the past decade, according to survey results released today by the CDC.
The agency released results of the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which included information on students in grades 9 to 12 from September 2016 to December 2017.
“The health of our youth reflects the nation’s well-being,” CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, said in a press release, “In the past decade, there have been substantial improvements in the behaviors that put students most at risk for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. However, we can’t yet declare success when so many young people are experiencing disturbingly high rates of substance use, violence and suicide.”
Researchers used the survey to examine health-related behaviors in youth and young adults, including behaviors contributing to unintentional injuries and violence, tobacco use, alcohol and drug use, sexual behaviors that could lead to unintentional pregnancy and STDs, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
According to the researchers, 39.5% of students reported having had sexual intercourse. This was a decline from 47.8% in 2007. There also was a decline in students who had four or more sexual partners, from 14.9% in 2007 to 9.7% in 2017, according to the CDC. These levels are the lowest since the CDC began conducting the survey in 1991, the agency said.
Among sexually active students, 53.8% reported using a condom during last sexual intercourse, which was a reduction from 61.5% reported in 2007.
Alcohol use in the last 30 days was reported by 29.8% of students, which was a decrease from 44.7% in 2007.
Binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks of alcohol in a row within a couple of hours for females and five or more drinks in a row for males, was reported by 13.5% of respondents during the past 30 days.
There was a decrease in reported marijuana use in the last 30 days from 1995 to 2017 (25.3% to 19.8%) and ever using marijuana from 1997 to 2017 (47.1% to 35.6%), according to the researchers.
The CDC said there also was a decline in the use of certain illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, inhalants, hallucinogens or ecstasy — reported by 14% in 2017 and 22.6% of students in 2007.
Misuse of prescription opioids was reported by 14% of the students.
According to the survey, 19% of students reported being bullied on school property in the previous year, which was not a significant change from 19.9% in 2009. Electronic bullying, which included being bullied through texting, Instagram, Facebook or other social media, during the past year was reported by 14.9% of students.
Being physically forced to have sexual intercourse was reported by 7.4% of students, with prevalence higher among females (11.3%) compared with males (3.5%). This was not a significant improvement from the 7.8% reported in 2007, according to the CDC.
Feeling sad or hopeless during the year leading up to the survey was reported by 31.5% of students — an increase from 28.5% in 2007. Among those surveyed, 17.2% reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
The researchers also reported that 39.2% of high school students who drove a car or other vehicle in the past 30 days reported texting or sending emails while driving.
There was a significantly higher prevalence of violence, substance abuse and suicide-related behaviors among sexual minority students, defined as those who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, or who were not sure of their sexual identity, according to the CDC.
“Today’s youth are making better decisions about their health than just a decade ago,” Jonathan Mermin, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said in the release. “But, some experiences, such as physical and sexual violence, are outside their control and continue at painfully high levels. Their experiences today have powerful implications for their lives tomorrow.” – by Bruce Thiel
Disclosures: Redfield and Mermin report no relevant financial disclosures.
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