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Abstract
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During 1988, injuries were the leading cause of death among persons aged 15-19 years in the United States (CDC, unpublished data, 1988). Of all deaths in this age group, 42% were motor-vehicle related, 13% were due to homicide, 13% to suicide, and 11% to other types of injuries and adverse effects. This report presents 1991 self-reported data on the prevalence of selected behaviors (i.e., attempted suicide, physical fighting, weapon-carrying, safety-belt use, motorcycle-helmet use, and bicycle-helmet use) associated with these causes of death among 9th-12th-grade students in the United States.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The intent of this article by CDC was to summarize two school-based components of the Center for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System in 1991.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors summarized the 1991 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBSs) that were conducted in 23 states by the departments of education and data from the 1991 round of the national YRBS. The local sites drew probability samples from defined sampling frames, and the national survey used a three-stage sample design to obtain a sample of 12,272 students representative of students in grades 9-12. Students in most samples were distributed evenly across grades and between sexes, and the racial/ethnic characteristics of the samples varied.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
Among the students surveyed, 14%-35% had thought seriously about committing suicide, while 5%-12% had actually attempted suicide. During the twelve months prior to the survey, 34%-56% had been in at least one physical fight, and 16%-39% of the students carried a weapon such as a gun, knife or club in the 30 days prior to the survey. A handgun was the most often carried weapon among 5%-41% of these students. Finally, the survey revealed that 7%-54% of the students always used safety belts and among the students who rode motorcycles, 10%-59% always wore motorcycle helmets.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors suggested that the data from these surveys be used to guide national, state and local interventions.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - 1990s
KW - Grade 9
KW - Grade 10
KW - Grade 11
KW - Grade 12
KW - Senior High School Student
KW - Late Adolescence
KW - Early Adolescence
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Juvenile Behavior
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Risk Behavior
KW - Juvenile Suicide
KW - Suicidal Behavior
KW - Suicide Attempted
KW - Suicidal Ideation
KW - Fighting Behavior
KW - Juvenile Firearms Carrying
KW - Juvenile Weapons Carrying |