New data from the Vermont Dept. of Health measuring health risks and behaviors among middle and high school students indicate progress on long-term challenges like youth drug, alcohol and tobacco use, while the number of young people reporting mental health challenges like stress, anxiety and depression remains high.
The 2023 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results, released Nov. 22 by the department show that a third of Vermont high school students struggle with poor mental health, while just over 50% of Vermont high school students feel like they matter to their community. Students are reporting self-harm and making suicide plans at the same rates as during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially a concern for female and LGBTQ+ students, who report poor mental health and self-harm at significantly higher rates than their peers do.
“In line with national trends, we are seeing young people in Vermont grappling with persistent feelings of hopelessness and isolation in a much more pronounced way than was the case among the same age groups 10 years ago,” Health Dept. Deputy Commissioner Kelly Dougherty said. “We have a responsibility as adults to believe what these students are telling us about how they feel and to treat this growing crisis with the urgency it deserves.”
New this year, students were asked about social media use and how often they use apps like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X. The survey data show 80% of high school students and 60% of middle school students check social media at least several times a day.
The biennial survey of Vermont high school and middle school students asks questions on a wide range of topics including sexual activity, drugs and alcohol, physical activity, nutrition, club and sport involvement and post-graduation plans. The YRBS data can help school and community organizations focus prevention efforts and determine whether school policies and community programs have the intended effect on student behaviors.
The survey, also given on a national level coordinated by the CDC, is a collaboration between the Health Department and Agency of Education.
Report highlights:
22% of high school students report using marijuana, a decrease from 24% a decade ago.
The percent of high school students who believe their parents would think it’s wrong for them to use marijuana has decreased in the last decade, from 82% in 2013 to 75% today.
16% of high school students report using e-cigarettes, down from a peak of 26% in 2019.
28% of high school students are sexually active, an increase from the 2021 results.
Condom use has significantly decreased among sexually active students over the last decade (62% in 2013 to 49% in 2023).
56% of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) students are treated unfairly at school because of their race or ethnicity compared to 14% of white, non-Hispanic students.
Almost 40% of high school students report they are trying to lose weight.
For more information, visit: HealthVermont.gov/yrbs.
