Healthy Youth Survey shows strengths, concerns

The results of the Healthy Youth Survey administered to Wahkiakum School District students in October of 2010, reflect both strengths and concerns for local students.

The results, released in March and reviewed at the Wahkiakum school board meeting in May, confirmed students’ concern about marijuana use in fall of 2010, which resulted in a new optional drug-testing policy to address the problem of substance abuse at school.

Students were physically active at least 60 minutes a day, with all grades almost doubling statewide averages.

The survey raised concern about bullying and students’ excessive consumption of soda.

The Healthy Youth Survey is a statewide, collaborative effort of Office of Superintendent of Public Information, the Department of Health, the Department of Social and Health Service’s Division of Behavioral and Health and Recovery, the Family Policy Council, Department of Commerce, and the Liquor Control Board. The results are used to monitor adolescents’ health and track progress on health-related goals. Participation is voluntary and anonymous.

Thirty-two sixth grade students, 44 eight graders, 33 sophomores and 12 seniors provided answers to a variety of questions regarding their perceptions and behavior.

Each grade surveyed reported being bullied in the past 30 days.

“That’s disturbing,” middle school Principal Theresa Libby said. She speculated that this could be the result of increased education regarding what bullying is.

“If there’s horse play in the halls, they’re called on it,” she said.

At the same time, over 80 percent of students reported feeling safe at school.

students consumed two or more sodas a day significantly exceeded state averages.

Judy Bright, director of the county’s health and human services, said her department is conducting community health assessments to address obesity and improve access to nutritious food and increase exercise for all ages. Activities like the community garden and the town’s committee to improve walkability are meant to prevent chronic disease, she said.

Local students reflected nationwide trends in using prescription painkillers to get high, with 15 percent of sophomores and 11 percent of seniors saying they had used in the past 30 days. High school principal Dan Casler said, trends show “using methadone to get high is on the rise.”

Both sophomores and eighth graders reported higher than the state average use of marijuana. Sophomores were 24 percent compared to 20 statewide, and 11 percent of Wahkiakum eighth graders compared with 9 percent statewide.

Three percent of Wahkiakum sixth graders indicated they had used illegal drugs in the past 30 days, (not including alcohol or tobacco) compared to one percent statewide, while other classes were at or below state averages.

Fifteen percent of sophomores and 16 percent of seniors reported being drunk or high at school in the past year, slightly lower than statewide averages.

The local students’ reported alcohol use was below state averages, except for sixth graders, of whom nine percent reported having drunk a glass, can or bottle of alcohol in the past 30 days.

“That’s alarming,” director Mike Quigley said.

“You don’t know if they’re answering the questions truthfully,” Libby said, noting there’s a margin of error with such a small sample. “One child can raise it 3 percent.”

students were at or below current cigarette smoking, except for local eighth graders, 14 percent of whom reported having smoked within the past 30 days.

The board made no specific plans to address issues in the survey. The results are used by local and state agencies and organizations to tailor prevention and intervention strategies.

For further results go to http://wahksd.k12.wa.us/wsd-files/board-healthy-youth-survey-high-school.pdf.