Using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to compare risk behaviors of Texas High School and college students

This study used the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to assess selected health behaviors of Texas high school and college students. The YRBS was administered during 1993 in paper and pencil form to 6,015 high school students representing 329 classrooms from 78 school districts. A total of 1,408 college students representing 23 college and universities were surveyed by telephone in 1993 using a modified version of YRBS. Texas college students reported a higher percentage who had experienced sexual intercourse (82% versus 55.4%), but Texas high school students reported a younger age of first sexual intercourse. High school students also initiated alcohol consumption at a younger age, although college students were more likely to binge drink (33.5% versus 31%). Regular cigarette use also was higher among college students (25.4% versus 19.3%), but was initiated at a younger age by high school students. Study results indicate that health education programs must begin much earlier than during the high school years. Due to early initiation of negative health behaviors, emphasis must be placed on abstinence and risk-reduction techniques for both populations.