Tips for parents

Know what your kids are watching on television and in the movies.

Make your child aware that you do not want them to smoke

Expect your child to tell you where he/she spends time after school and on weekends

Make family dinners a regular part of your life

Be aware of your child's academic performance

Be sure to praise your child's achievements

Izard County Youth Risk Behavior Survey

April, 2002

This survey was coordinated by Izard County Hometown Health Improvement Coalition, Izard County School Districts and the Arkansas Department of Health Center for Health Statistics

Total # of participants:

610 Students 7th-12th

50/50 Male/Female Ratio

 Percentage of Students Who:

Rarely or never wore a seatbelt when riding in a car-28%

Carried a gun during the past 30 days-11%

Were in a physical fight during the past 12 months-40%

Attempted suicide during the past 12 months-10%

Ever tried smoking a cigarette-65%

Smoked cigarettes at least once during the past 30 days-32%

Used chewing tobacco or snuff at least once during the past 30 days-18%

Ever drank alcohol-73%

Ever used marijuana-31%

Ever used methamphetamines-9%

Ever had sexual intercourse-41%

Used a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse-62%

Were overweight-25%

Were trying to lose weight-50%

Participated in vigorous exercise on three or more days in the past week-63%

Did not go to school on one or more of the past 30 days because they felt unsafe-3%

Had been threatened or injured  with a weapon on school property during the past 12 months-7%

Carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property during the past 30 days-13%

Smoked on school property the past 30 days-7%

Used chewing tobacco or snuff on school property the past 30 days-9%

Had a drink of alcohol on school property the past 30 days-2%

Used marijuana on school property the past 30 days-1%

Has had someone offer, sell, or give them an illegal drug on school property during the past 12 months-16%

I was a student who participated in this survey, I would have been in the 10th grade at the time and had not one clue that filling out that survey could help this community to better see where our needs are and how much we have an effect on our kids. These findings also can provide grounds to:

• Establish disease prevention and health promotion policies
• Plan and implement programs and services
• Secure funding for programs
• Allocate limited resources toward targeted needs and priorities
• Conduct future research and note progress or deficiencies
• Enact laws to prevent injuries and unnecessary deaths

Check out these sites

www.tobaccofreemc.com

www.americanlegacy.org

www.stampoutsmoking.com