SURVEY TITLE: Youth Risk Behavior Survey - Massachusetts
ACRONYMN: YRBS - MA
SPONSOR: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Health and Human Services.
SURVEY PURPOSE: The YRBSS was developed in 1990 to monitor priority health risk
behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. These behaviors, often established during childhood and early adolescence, include: tobacco use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, inadequate physical activity, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV infection), and behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence.
LOCATION SAMPLED: Massachusetts and Boston.
YEARS SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTED: Boston and Massachusetts: 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009
SAMPLE SIZE: unknown/unavailable.
METHOD OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTION: Self-completed questionnaire.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION QUESTIONS:
1993:
Q64: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): (a) female(s), (b) male(s) (c) female(s) and male(s) and (d) I have not had sexual contact with anyone”
1995:
Q67: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual
contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
Q68: “Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Bisexual; c) Gay or lesbian; d) Not sure; e) None of the above”
1997:
Q7: “Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Gay or lesbian; c) Bisexual; d) Not sure”
Q69: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual
contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011:(See 2011 Questionnaire)
"Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Gay or lesbian; c)
Bisexual; d) Not sure”
"During your life, the person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
RESULTS:
ACRONYMN: YRBS - MA
SPONSOR: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Health and Human Services.
SURVEY PURPOSE: The YRBSS was developed in 1990 to monitor priority health risk
behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. These behaviors, often established during childhood and early adolescence, include: tobacco use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, inadequate physical activity, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV infection), and behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence.
LOCATION SAMPLED: Massachusetts and Boston.
YEARS SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTED: Boston and Massachusetts: 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009
SAMPLE SIZE: unknown/unavailable.
METHOD OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTION: Self-completed questionnaire.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION QUESTIONS:
1993:
Q64: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): (a) female(s), (b) male(s) (c) female(s) and male(s) and (d) I have not had sexual contact with anyone”
1995:
Q67: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual
contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
Q68: “Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Bisexual; c) Gay or lesbian; d) Not sure; e) None of the above”
1997:
Q7: “Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Gay or lesbian; c) Bisexual; d) Not sure”
Q69: “The person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual
contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011:(See 2011 Questionnaire)
"Which of the following best describes you? a) Heterosexual (straight); b) Gay or lesbian; c)
Bisexual; d) Not sure”
"During your life, the person(s) with whom you have had sexual contact is (are): a) I have not had sexual contact with anyone; b) Female(s); c) Male(s); d) Female(s) and male(s)”
RESULTS:
- Corliss HL, Goodenow CS, Nichols L, Austin SB. High burden of homelessness among sexual-minority adolescents: findings from a representative Massachusetts high school sample. Am J Public Health. 2011:101(9):1683---1689. OBJECTIVE: We compared the prevalence of current homelessness among adolescents reporting a minority sexual orientation (lesbian/gay, bisexual, unsure, or heterosexual with same-sex sexual partners) with that among exclusively heterosexual adolescents. METHOD: We combined data from the 2005 and 2007 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a representative sample of public school students in grades 9 though 12 (n=6317). RESULTS: Approximately 25% of lesbian/gay, 15% of bisexual, and 3% of exclusively heterosexual Massachusetts public high school students were homeless. Sexual-minority males and females had an odds of reporting current homelessness that was between 4 and 13 times that of their exclusively heterosexual peers. Sexual-minority youths’ greater likelihood of being homeless was driven by their increased risk of living separately from their parents or guardians. CONCLUSION: Youth homelessness is linked with numerous threats such as violence, substance use, and mental health problems. Although discrimination and victimization related to minority sexual orientation status are believed to be important causal factors, research is needed to improve our understanding of the risks and protective factors for homelessness and to determine effective strategies to prevent homelessness in this population.
- Almeida, J., Johnson, R.M., Corless, H.L., Molnar, B.E. & Azrael, D. (2008). Emotional distress among LGBT youth: The influence of perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 38, 1001-1014. The authors evaluated emotional distress among 9th–12th grade students, and examined whether the association between being lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgendered (i.e., ‘‘LGBT’’) and emotional distress was mediated by perceptions of having been treated badly or discriminated against because others thought they were gay or lesbian. Data come from a school-based survey in Boston, Massachusetts (n = 1,032); 10% were LGBT, 58% were female, and ages ranged from 13 to 19 years. About 45% were Black, 31% were Hispanic, and 14% were White. LGBT youth scored significantly higher on the scale of depressive symptomatology. They were also more likely than heterosexual, non-transgendered youth to report suicidal ideation (30% vs. 6%, p\0.0001) and self-harm (21% vs. 6%, p\0.0001). Mediation analyses showed that perceived discrimination accounted for increased depressive symptomatology among LGBT males and females, and accounted for an elevated risk of self-harm and suicidal ideation among LGBT males. Perceived discrimination is a likely contributor to emotional distress among LGBT youth.
- Bontempo DE, D'Augelli AR. Effects of at-school victimization and sexual orientation on lesbian, gay, or bisexual youths' health risk behavior. J Adolesc Health. 2002 May;30(5):364-74. PURPOSE: To examine the link between victimization at school and health risk behaviors using representative data comparing lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youths and heterosexual youths. METHODS: Data from the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey taken in Massachusetts and Vermont were examined. This sample included 9188 9th through 12th grade students; 315 of these students were identified as LGB. Analyses of variance were used to examine health risk behaviors by sexual orientation by gender by victimization level. RESULTS: The combined effect of LGB status and high levels of at-school victimization was associated with the highest levels of health risk behaviors. LGB youths reporting high levels of at-school victimization reported higher levels of substance use, suicidality, and sexual risk behaviors than heterosexual peers reporting high levels of at-school victimization. Also, LGB youths reporting low levels of at-school victimization reported levels of substance use, suicidality, and sexual-risk behaviors that were similar to heterosexual peers who reported low at-school victimization. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide evidence that differences in health risks among LGB youth are mediated by victimization at school. Such victimization of LGB youth is associated with health risk behaviors.
- Robin L, Brener ND, Donahue SF, Hack T, Hale K, Goodenow C. Associations between
health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of vermont and massachusetts high school students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002 Apr;156(4):349-55. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between health risk behaviors and sexual experience with opposite-, same-, or both-sex partners in representative samples of high school students. DESIGN: We used 1995 and 1997 data from the Vermont and Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. Logistic regression and multiple regression analyses were used to compare health risk behaviors among students who reported sex with opposite-sex partners only (opposite-sex students), with same-sex partners only (same-sex students), and with both male and female sexual partners (both-sex students). SETTING: Public high schools in Vermont and Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Representative, population-based samples of high school students. The combined samples had 14 623 Vermont students and 8141 Massachusetts students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Violence, harassment, suicidal behavior, alcohol and other drug use, and unhealthy weight control practices. RESULTS: In both states, both-sex students were significantly more likely to report health risk behaviors than were opposite-sex students. For example, both-sex students had odds 3 to 6 times greater than opposite-sex students of being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, making a suicide attempt requiring medical attention, using cocaine, or vomiting or using laxatives to control their weight. In both states, same-sex students were as likely as opposite-sex students to report most health risk behaviors. CONCLUSION: Relative to opposite- and same-sex students, both-sex students may be at elevated risk of injury, disease, and death by experiencing serious harassment and engaging in violence, suicidal behavior, alcohol and other drug use, and unhealthy weight control practices.
- Garofalo R, Wolf RC, Wissow LS, Woods ER, Goodman E. Sexual orientation and risk of suicide attempts among a representative sample of youth. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999 May;153(5):487-93. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sexual orientation is an independent risk factor for reported suicide attempts. DESIGN: Data were from the
Massachusetts 1995 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which included a question on sexual orientation. Ten drug use, 5 sexual behavior, and 5 violence/ victimization variables chosen a priori were assessed as possible mediating variables. Hierarchical logistic regression models determined independent predictors of suicide attempts. SETTING: Public high schools in Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Representative, population-based sample of high school students. Three thousand three hundred sixty-five (81%) of 4167 responded to both the suicide attempt and sexual orientation questions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Self-reported suicide attempt in the past year. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-nine students (3.8%) self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or not sure of their sexual orientation (GLBN). Gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and all 20 health-risk behaviors were associated with suicide attempt (P<.001). Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or not sure youth were 3.41 times more likely to report a suicide attempt. Based on hierarchical logistic regression, female gender (odds ratio [OR], 4.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.30-5.93), GLBN orientation (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.39-3.37), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.44-3.99), higher levels of violence/ victimization (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.80-2.36), and more drug use (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.22-1.41) were independent predictors of suicide attempt (P<.001). Gender-specific analyses for predicting suicide attempts revealed that among males the OR for GLBN orientation increased (OR, 3.74; 95% CI, 1.92-7.28), while among females GLBN orientation was not a significant predictor of suicide. CONCLUSIONS: Gay, lesbian,
bisexual, or not sure youth report a significantly increased frequency of suicide attempts. Sexual orientation has an independent association with suicide attempts for males, while for females the association of sexual orientation with suicidality may be mediated by drug use and violence/victimization behaviors.
- Garofalo R, Wolf RC, Kessel S, Palfrey SJ, DuRant RH. The association between health risk behaviors and sexual orientation among a school-based sample of adolescents. Pediatrics. 1998 May;101(5):895-902. OBJECTIVE: This study is one of the first to examine the association between sexual orientation and health risk behaviors among a representative, school-based sample of adolescents. DESIGN: This study was conducted on an anonymous, representative sample of 4159 9th- to 12th-grade students in public high schools from Massachusetts' expanded Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Sexual orientation was determined by the following question: "Which of the following best describes you?" A total of 104 students self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (GLB), representing 2.5% of the overall population. Of GLB youth, 66.7% were male and 70% were white (not Hispanic). Health risk and problem behaviors were analyzed comparing GLB youth and their peers. Those variables found to be significantly associated with GLB youth were then analyzed by multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: GLB youth were more likely than their peers to have been victimized and threatened and to have been engaged in a variety of risk behaviors including suicidal ideation and attempts, multiple substance use, and sexual risk behaviors. Four separate logistic regression models were constructed. Model I, Onset of Behaviors Before Age 13, showed use of cocaine before age 13 years as strongly associated with GLB orientation (odds ratio [OR]: 6.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.45-15.20). Early initiation of sexual intercourse (2.15; 10.6-4.38), marijuana use (1.98; 1.04-4.09), and alcohol use (1.82; 1.03-3.23) also was associated with GLB orientation. Model II, Lifetime Frequencies of Behaviors, showed that frequency of crack cocaine use (1.38; 1.06-1.79), inhalant use (1.30; 1.05-1.61), and number of sexual partners (1.27; 1.06-1.43) was associated with GLB orientation. Model III, Frequency of Recent Behaviors, showed smokeless tobacco use in the past 30 days (1.38; 1. 20-1.59) and number of sexual partners in the previous 3 months (1. 47; 1.31-1.65) were associated with GLB orientation. Model IV, Frequency of Behaviors at School, showed having one's property stolen or deliberately damaged (1.23; 1.08-1.40) and using marijuana (1.29; 1.05-1.59) and smokeless tobacco (1.53; 1.30-1.81) were associated with GLB orientation. Overall, GLB respondents engaged disproportionately in multiple risk behaviors, reporting an increased mean number of risk behaviors (mean = 6.81 +/- 4.49) compared with the overall student population (mean = 3.45 +/- 3.15). CONCLUSION: GLB youth who self-identify during high school report disproportionate risk for a variety of health risk and problem behaviors, including suicide, victimization, sexual risk behaviors, and multiple substance use. In addition, these youth are more likely to report engaging in multiple risk behaviors and initiating risk behaviors at an earlier age than are their peers. These findings suggest that educational efforts, prevention programs, and health services must be designed to address the unique needs of GLB youth.
- Faulkner AH, Cranston K. Correlates of same-sex sexual behavior in a random sample of Massachusetts high school students. Am J Public Health. 1998 Feb;88(2):262-6.
OBJECTIVES: This study documented risk behaviors among homosexually and bisexually experienced adolescents. METHODS: Data were obtained from a random sample of high school students in Massachusetts. Violence, substance use, and suicide behaviors were compared between students with same-sex experience and those reporting only heterosexual contact. Differences in prevalence and standard errors of the differences were calculated. RESULTS: Students reporting same-sex contact were more likely to report fighting and victimization, frequent use of alcohol, other drug use, and recent suicidal behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Students with same-sex experience may be at elevated risk of injury, disease, and death resulting from violence, substance abuse, and suicidal behaviors. - DuRant RH, Kahn J, Beckford PH, Woods ER. The association of weapon carrying and fighting on school property and other health risk and problem behaviors among high school students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997 Apr;151(4):360-6. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between weapon carrying on school property and engaging in health risk and problem behaviors such as fighting and substance use on school property, fear of attending school, and victimization at school. DESIGN: A complex 2-stage probability survey (Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey). SETTING: High schools in Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Three thousand fifty-four high school students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Number of days a weapon was carried on school property during the 30 days prior to the survey. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported weapon carrying on school property was 15% among male students and 5% among female students (P < .001). Weapon carrying on school property was significantly (P < .001) associated with frequency of physical fights on school property (r = 0.26), being a victim of threat or injury with a weapon on school property (r = 0.27), being a victim of stolen or damaged goods on school property (r = 0.14), not attending school owing to fear (r = 0.15), and substance use while at school, including smoking cigarettes (r = 0.20), using chewing tobacco (r = 0.18), smoking marijuana (r = 0.24), and using alcohol (r = 0.29). The association between weapon carrying and alcohol use in school was higher among students who were afraid to come to school (r = 0.49) than among students who were not afraid (r = 0.28). Students who had engaged in same-sex sexual activity (P < .001) or had been offered, given, or sold illicit drugs at school (P < .001) were more likely to carry a weapon at school. Multiple regression analysis showed that male sex and the frequencies of physical fighting, being a victim of a threat or injury, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and being offered or sold an illicit drug while on school property accounted for 21% of the variance in weapon carrying in school. When weapon carrying was dichotomized and analyzed with logistic regression, a model containing age, male sex, lower academic achievement, days not attending school owing to fear, times threatened or injured with a weapon at school, frequency of fighting at school, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and being offered or sold illicit drugs on school property correctly classified 91.83% of the students who did or did not carry weapons. CONCLUSIONS: Weapon carrying at school was more strongly associated more with use of violence and the use of substances at school than with previous victimization and fear of attending school. However, there is a subgroup of students that seems to have been victimized at school, is afraid to come to school, is using alcohol at school, and is carrying weapons at school.
- See 2001Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results.
- See 2003Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results.
- See Massachusetts HIV/AIDS Data Fact Sheet.