The Increasing Utility of School Health Data to Guide Evidence‐Based Interventions

Abstract

T he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) works with local decision makers, schools, youth-serving organizations, and parents across the nation to equip youth with knowledge, skills, and resources needed for healthy adolescence and adulthood. Aligned with this effort, DASH maintains high-quality surveillance systems to understand youth health behaviors and assess school health programs and policies. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) is a system of surveys administered every other year to high school students. In addition to the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by CDC, YRBSS features Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments across the nation. 1 Local decision makers collaborate with partners to develop questionnaires for their respective YRBS, then coordinate data dissemination and utilization. Since its inception in 1991, YRBSS has collected data from more than 5 million high school students in approximately 2200 separate surveys across the United States. 1 The School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a system of surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments. These surveys collect data every other year from principals and lead health education teachers to assess school-implemented health programs and policies. 2 a Epidemiologist, (

Overview and Methods for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System — United States, 2021

“…In 2021, YRBS response rates were below 60%, continuing a previously reported decline in YRBS response rates ( 11 ). Whereas a part of the drop in YRBS participation was attributable to school-level COVID-19 safety precautions, disinformation campaigns targeting YRBSs across the country also contribute to declining YRBS response rates ( 17 ). Such campaigns misrepresent survey content, data collection procedures, and data utility.…”

Reliability of the 2020 School Health Profiles Principal and Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaires

“…Profiles data are widely used to monitor school policies and practices at the state and local levels. 3,4 For example, in 2020 alone, 44 states, 28 school districts, 1 territory, and 1 tribe successfully conducted a Profiles survey (principal, lead health education teacher, or both). A recent study found substantial increases in how state, school district, territorial, and tribal programs are using Profiles data to identify professional development needs, plan and monitor programs, support health-related policies and legislation, and seek funding.…”

“…A recent study found substantial increases in how state, school district, territorial, and tribal programs are using Profiles data to identify professional development needs, plan and monitor programs, support health-related policies and legislation, and seek funding. 4 Quality data are critical in identifying disparities in school policies and practices across schools with different characteristics (eg, metropolitan status, region, or socioeconomic status of school families). The ability to reliably measure such policies and practices also is important so that broader federal, state, and local decisions can be made about the equitable distribution of resources dedicated to health education, physical education and physical activity, nutrition services, the school environment, health services, family engagement, and community involvement.…”

“…Profiles data are widely used to monitor school policies and practices at the state and local levels 3,4 . For example, in 2020 alone, 44 states, 28 school districts, 1 territory, and 1 tribe successfully conducted a Profiles survey (principal, lead health education teacher, or both).…”

“…A growing body of evidence shows that “healthier students are better learners” and that many health problems can be addressed successfully through programs, policies, and services at school 1,2 . The School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a system of surveys established in 1996 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess school health policies and practices among secondary schools in the United States 3,4 . Topics covered in Profiles questionnaires include health education, physical education and physical activity, nutrition services, the school environment, health services, family engagement, and community involvement.…”