The NYS Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

NYS Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) YRBS survey monitors students' health risks and behaviors in several categories, including weight and diet, physical activity, injury and violence, tobacco use, alcohol, and other drug use, and sexual behaviors.  The YRBS is conducted every 2 years among a representative group of New York State students in grades 9–12. The NYS Center for School Health conducts the YRBS in NYS on behalf of the NYS Education Department (NYSED).

CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) is a system of surveys that includes national, state, territorial, and freely associated state, tribal government, and local school-based surveys.  Local agencies and non-governmental organizations use YRBS data to set and track progress toward meeting school health and health promotion program goals, support modification of school health curricula or other programs, support new legislation and policies that promote health, and seek funding and other support for new initiatives.

CDC and other federal agencies routinely use YRBS data to assess trends in priority health behaviors among high school students, monitor progress toward achieving national health objectives and evaluate the contribution of broad prevention efforts in schools and other settings toward helping the nation reduce health risk behaviors among youth.

NYS public and vocational high schools are randomly selected by the CDC to participate in the voluntary YRBS survey. Survey procedures were designed to protect the privacy of students by allowing for anonymous and voluntary participation. Students complete a self-administered, anonymous, 90-item questionnaire.  Local parental permission procedures must be followed before the YRBS survey administration occurs. The results are (weighted) representative of all students in grades 9-12.  

2023 YRBS High School Resources

Page Updated 1/5/23