A new statewide survey released Wednesday finds Vermont teens have modestly decreased their use of alcohol, are smoking less, and are abusing prescription drugs in fewer numbers.
The Vermont Youth Risk Behavior survey, based on a random sample of 8,654 students in grades 9 through 12, also found no substantial change in the number of high school teens who reported having sex, driving while drinking or taking drugs, and experiencing incidences of bullying and physical abuse.
The student survey has been conducted every two years around the state since 1993. It creates a snapshot of teens' risky behaviors and helps state and school officials develop strategies for altering patterns of substance abuse.
Health Commissioner Harry Chen said the 2011 results encouraging because they show a “significant shift” in young people's views about avoiding risky behavior.
“They are making the right choices,” he said, and that is encouraging for the teens and for the future of Vermont, he added.
Comparing results to those of 2009, the survey indicates a downtick in substance use for high schoolers:
• 60 percent of students reported that they have tried alcohol, a decline from 66 percent;
• 13 percent of students smoked in the past 30 days, a decline from 18 percent;
• 14 percent of students had tried prescription drugs without a prescription, down from 17 percent;
• 15 percent of students reported drinking before age 13, down from 18 percent.
While officials said the trend lines were encouraging, statistics for other risky behaviors remained stubbornly high:
• 35 percent of students reported drinking alcohol and 21 percent reported binge drinking in the last 30 days (five or more drinks in a few hours);
• 41 percent of students reported having had sex, and 45 percent oral sex, and only 63 percent of sexually active students reported using a condom during their most recent experience;
• 24 percent reported using marijuana in the past 30 days, the same rate as in 2009.
Some of the figures in the survey might surprise, such as 53 percent of students saying they rarely or never wore a helmet while riding a bike, a decline in safety from 64 percent in 2009. Also, only 63 percent said they always wore a seat belt while in the car.
Fully 9 percent of respondents in grades six through eight reported drinking before age 11, and 4 percent reported binge drinking.
Some 15 percent of high school students reported being bullied through use of electronic devices in the past 12 months, and 23 percent reported being in a fight. While the fighting figure is unchanged from 2009, the trend line has declined from nearly 50 percent in 1993.
In grades six through eight, 50 percent of students reported having been in a fight, and 48 percent reported being bullied.
The survey showed that teens are well aware of risks and parental disapproval if their behaviors are discovered. For example, fully 91 percent think their parents would disapprove of their smoking, and 74 percent cite their parents' likely disapproval in the case of drinking alcohol.
Chen vouched for the survey's accuracy, noting it was conducted anonymously and taken seriously by schools.
Students were also polled on diet and exercise. Twenty-three percent of students were overweight or obese, and 38 percent reported that they had physical education classes at least once a week.
As for sedentary pursuits such as watching television and playing video games, more than a third - 36 percent - of students said they spend three or more hours per day participating in such activities.
Vilaseca highlighted two subtle but important trends that he said were encouraging.
One was that 55 percent of teens said they felt they mattered in their communities, up from 47 percent two years ago.
He also said teens also are showing a growing penchant for volunteering in their communities, with 55 percent saying they did so an hour or more per week, up significantly from 43 percent in 2009.
The survey found general agreement that teachers care about their education: 52 percent of high school teens said they felt schools listen to their concerns.
Senior Connor Hunt, 17, and Jordan LaBonte, 16, a junior, offered some front-line perspective to the numbers behind the survey.
The students, two of 150 who attend Twin Valley High School in Wilmington, told how five students started an underground campaign to counter the impression that drinking is cool and that everyone does it to have fun.
Hunt said the “Audacious” program began after a survey found students guessed that 72 percent of kids in their school drank, on average.
A follow-up survey indicated that only 30 percent actually used alcohol.
“Our slogan is two out of three kids do not drink,” said Hunt.
The survey found 73 percent of teens said it was easy to get alcohol.
Chen noted that while there were declines in some of the risky behaviors, there is still plenty of work to be done when 60 percent of surveyed students report they have tried alcohol.
“Are we satisfied with that? Of course not,” he said, adding that there is “no magic answer” to the question of how to bring the number to zero.
Vilaseca emphasized that adoption of risky behaviors by teens is a societal issue, not a school issue, and it will require a broad effort from parents, teachers, friends and relatives, the community, and the media. He cited ads and television shows that glorify sex and drinking behavior as a particular target of reform.
He also noted that many teens in high school are entering the workforce and coming into contact with adult behaviors that may influence them.
“This is not a school-alone issue,” he said. “This is a community issue,” he said.
The full survey results are available online..