Alaska YRBS Information

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National YRBS Information

• National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

YRBS Results and Data​

• Where are the YRBS Results? 
  Infographic (pdf 500KB)
• Results and publications by year
• Searchable datasets
  
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Program Contacts

3601 C Street, Suite 722
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907)-269-2020
Fax: (907)-269-5446
YRBS@alaska.gov

Tazlina Mannix, MPH
YRBS Data Manager
(907) 269-8107

Gina Agron, MS, MBA
YRBS Coordinator
(907) 269-8030

Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

Highlights:

• Managing Anxiety & Stress During COVID-19
• COVID-19 Resources for Alaska Schools​
• Download the 2019 Alaska YRBS Highlights​
• Watch this video ​to learn how organizations across the state are using Alaska YRBS data.
• Sign up for our free e-listserv to receive updates from the Alaska YRBS program.
• Use Alaska YRBS data​ in your work.
• Find out "Where are the YRBS Results?" Download the pdf (500KB)
  

 

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a school-based survey of Alaska high school students. The YRBS collects important information about the health of Alaska teens, including health risk behaviors that contribute to social problems, disabilities, and even death. The survey helps school districts and schools, communities, and public and private organizations understand and meet the needs of Alaska teens. These groups use YRBS data to develop school health policies and programs, promote health, prevent disease and write grants.​

Alaska students take the YRBS every other year in odd-numbered years in public traditional and alternative high schools. Student participation in the YRBS is anonymous, voluntary, and requires written parental consent. The survey includes questions on the following topics:

• Physical activity​
  and nutrition
• Tobacco, alcohol,
  and drug use
• Injury prevention
• Violence and bullying​
• Suicide
• Sexual behaviors
• Connections with peers, adults, and community​

Alaska’s YRBS is part of a national effort run by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)​. The Alaska Departments of Health and Social Services and Education and Early Development, as well as numerous public and private organizations support the YRBS.

NEWS: Postponement of the 2021 YRBS

Due to the uncertainty of in-classroom instruction this spring and the burden on school districts to respond to Alaska’s needs during the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, DHSS has decided to postpone administration of the 2021 YRBS from spring 2021 to fall 2021.

We believe that the decision to postpone the survey until fall 2021 will reduce the burden on schools and increase the chances of securing high quality data on students’ mental, physical, social, and emotional health. DHSS is committed to collecting and sharing important information about the health of Alaska teens, and we have determined that high quality data collection is not feasible for the 2020-2021 academic year. 

We appreciate the work that has been undertaken to restructure classes and respond to the pandemic this past year. We could not do this work without the cooperation and assistance of our partners in education and hope that postponing the YRBS will offer some relief. 

We ask for your help in making the fall 2021 YRBS administration successful through engaging your communities to encourage high participation rates next fall.  We would also like to acknowledge and thank our partner organizations for sharing novel strategies to improve the health of Alaska’s youth in this socially distanced environment.  

Please consider adding the YRBS to your 2021-2022 planning calendars between the months of October and November 2021. For more information, please contact us at YRBS@alaska.gov. Thank you for your ongoing support for these important health data.​