Hispanic Students at Higher Risk for Riskier Behavior

Volume 29, Issue 518 June 23, 2008

Matthew Gever

Today's high school students are less likely to engage in many risky health behaviors--such as drug use, promiscuous sex and unsafe driving--than high school students in the early 1990s, according to the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a bi-annual survey of high school students from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, Hispanic students remain at greater risk for certain health-related behaviors and have not matched the progress made over time by black students and white students.

Hispanic students were more likely than either black students or white students to attempt suicide, use cocaine, heroin or ecstasy, or go 24 hours or more without eating in an effort to lose weight. Hispanic students also were also more likely than both black students and white students to say they did not go to school on occasion because of safety concerns, were offered or sold illegal drugs on school property or drank alcohol on school property.

There were, however, some positive findings. Compared with Hispanic high school students in the 1990s, Hispanic students in 2007 were more likely to wear a seat belt at least some of the time, to use condoms during their most recent sexual intercourse and were less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and use drugs such as marijuana and methamphetamines.

Researchers did not have an explanation as to why the disparities exist. Suggestions for reducing the differences include encouraging more family involvement, supporting culturally accessible and affordable after-school programs, and encouraging states to provide Medicaid and SCHIP reimbursement for medical interpreters (which occurs in only 13 states). About 14,000 students answered the survey, which goes out to high school students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The answers are confidential and students are separated from teachers to help ensure accurate responses.

Health Risk Behaviors

Source: The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health, June 2, 2008. Table accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/pdf/yrbs07_us_disparity_race.pdf.