Health Risk Behaviors of Texas Students Attending Dropout Prevention/Recovery Schools in 1997

• Published in: The Journal of school health Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 22 - 28
• Main Authors: Weller, Nancy F., Tortolero, Susan R., Kelder, Steven H., Grunbaum, Jo Anne, Carvajal, Scott C., Gingiss, Phyllis M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.1999; American School Health Association
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Adult; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Alternative schools; Answer Sheets; At risk youth; Behavior; Dropout Prevention; Dropout Programs; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health; Health Behavior; Health risk communication; High School Students; High Schools; Humans; Injuries; Male; Nontraditional Education; Nursing; Polls & surveys; Prevalence; Risk Taking Behavior; Risk-Taking; Schools; Secondary school students; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexuality; Student Behavior; Student Dropouts - psychology; Student Dropouts - statistics & numerical data; Students; Substance Abuse; Surveys; Texas; Texas - epidemiology; Violence; Violence - statistics & numerical data; Texas
• ISSN: 0022-4391; 1746-1561
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1999.tb02338.x

This study determined prevalence of health risk behaviors of 9th through 12th grade students attending dropout prevention/recovery alternative schools in Texas in 1997. Participants were 470 youth whose health risk behaviors were assessed using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in an anonymous, self‐administered format. Behaviors measured included frequency of weapon‐carrying and fighting, suicide‐related behaviors, substance use, and sexual behaviors. A substantial percentage of alternative school students reported participating in behaviors that placed them at acute or chronic health risk. Differences in the prevalence of risk behaviors were noted by gender, racial/ethnic, and age subgroups. In addition, alternative school students frequently engaged in multiple risk behaviors. These findings suggest a need for comprehensive school‐based health education/intervention programs to reduce the prevalence of risk behaviors in populations of alternative school students.