Health survey aimed at teens

Officials want to pinpoint risks in school divisions

By Preston Knight -- pknight@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- One school division at a time, the Lord Fairfax Health District wants to learn more about the risky behaviors that lead to potentially deadly problems among teens.

Two district representatives addressed the Shenandoah County School Board on Thursday about a survey that would be administered to seventh- and ninth-graders next year. Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the survey focuses on youth health risk behaviors that result in such things as violence, drug use, alcohol abuse, sexual activity and unhealthy dietary habits. Superintendent Keith Rowland said the survey contains controversial topics, requiring board approval.

The panel is scheduled to vote on it next month.

On Friday, April Jenkins, the health district's nurse manager, said Shenandoah County was the first local system to show interest in the survey, but the plan is to get all school divisions to sign off on it in the next few months.

The survey would provide officials with local information that is lacking on the prevalence of a variety of health risk behaviors among teens, she said, and could lead to new community programs as well as grant money.

The surveys would be administered during health classes in January or February.

They are anonymous, and parents can opt their children out of it and/or view the survey in advance.

Parental involvement is key to healthy teen living, Jenkins said, but the best survey results will come from taking the document into schools.

"It's a captive audience," she said. "If you try to send it home, it can be rather difficult to get information back. Look at the [U.S.] Census."

Ultimately, Jenkins would like to see a youth development center in all of the health district's localities that would provide after-school tutoring, mentoring and more.

But the survey comes first, and school divisions have to be receptive to it. Deborah Litten, the student services supervisor for Shenandoah County, said in a memo to board members that the survey results would assist the division with developing its programs to student health areas that need improvement.

Jenkins said there have been increases around the health district in teen pregnancy, bullying and underage drinking.

The seventh- and ninth-grade pupils taking the survey -- those groups give a snapshot of middle school life and the beginning of high school, she said -- will help in determining how to combat those rising numbers. Based on the results, it may then be administered annually, Jenkins said.

"We still have a ways to go," she said. "I hope Shenandoah County will climb on board."