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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Diane Pilkey, RN MPH¹, Bill Germann, PhD², Stacey De Fries, MSW³, Riley Peters, PhD³, and Maria Nardella, MA RD CD³. (1) Department of Health, Washington State, PO Box 47835, Olympia, WA 98504, 360-236-3526, diane.pilkey@doh.wa.gov, (2) University of Texas, 3809 1/2 Moldin Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76107, (3) Department of Health, Washington State Department of Health, PO Box 47835, Olympia, WA 98504

Background: Identifying and publicizing disability disparities in youth can help programs target their health promotion and disease prevention strategies. Disability disparities in Washington State youth are significant and need attention.

Methods: Washington administers its Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) biannually to 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders in the public school system. The survey includes a screener for disability based on the National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D), and the questionnaire for Identifying Children with Chronic Conditions (QuICC). Variables were examined for significance comparing youth with disabilities to youth without disabilities using chi-squares.

Results: Twenty two percent of respondents to the 2004 HYS reported having some type of disability. Compared to youth without disabilities, Washington youth with disabilities were significantly more likely to carry a weapon at school, be overweight, be food insecure, use tobacco, binge drink, smoke marijuana, be bullied in the past 30 days, and report symptoms of depression and suicide attempts.

Conclusions: These results from Washington State underscore the broad range of disparities among Washington youth with disabilities and the need to explore these disparities in more detail. Disability status is used as a key demographic for highlighting disparities in reports and these data have been included in a broader forum to engage stakeholders in determining different or unique intervention strategies for this population

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to articulate

• How WA state is identifying disability disparities in WA youth
• Significant disparities for WA youth with disabilities
• What WA state is doing to address these disparities.

Keywords: Disability, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation