The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49049

Rune J. Simeonsson, PhD, MSPH¹, Bradley J. McMillen, PhD², Janey Sturtz McMillen, PhD¹, and Don Lollar, EdD³. (1) Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, CB 8185, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185, (919) 966-7826, rune_simeonsson@unc.edu, (2) Evaluation Section, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 301 North Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601, (3) Office of Disability and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Building 101, F29, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey-YRBS, is a primary source of data for tracking health-risk behaviors among youth. While trend analyses have shown improvement for various risk indicators (Kann, 2001) the focus has often been on high school students and not included students with disabilities. This report is based on surveys of middle schools and includes students with disabilities. The 2001 North Carolina YRBS included disability indicators to estimate the prevalence of risk behaviors for students with and without disabilities. The survey was completed by 2,197 students in 60 middle schools across the state (overall response rate=83%). Of those, 21.9% answered affirmatively to one or more of the disability indicator questions; these students comprised the group of students with disabilities, and their responses to the survey questions were compared to the remaining students without disabilities. Results indicated that students with disabilities were more likely to report engaging in behaviors that result in injuries (not wearing seatbelts or bicycle helmets, riding with a drinking driver, carrying weapons, fighting); feeling depressed or considering suicide; using alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs; and engaging in unhealthy weight loss behaviors. Students with disabilities were also more likely to report having had property stolen or damaged at school, a low quality of life, and poor health status. The findings have implications for addressing Healthy People 2010 objectives 7-2a through 2j focusing on school health education and policies for initiative in risk prevention and health promotion (Kolbe et al., 2001).

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be aware of the rates of engagement in health-risk behaviors of children and youth with and without disabilities.
• Participants will be able to identify implications for prevention initiatives aimed at health-risk behaviors in children and youth with disabilities.
• Participants will be able to discuss the importance of tracking the prevalence of health-risk behaviors in children and youth with disabilities.

Keywords: Disability,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.