The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) was developed by the Division of Adolescent and School Health, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The YRBSS monitors six health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults: 1) behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; 2) tobacco use; 3) alcohol and other drug use; 4) sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease; 5) unhealthy dietary behaviors; and 6) inadequate physical activity. The surveys are conducted every two years. The surveys are completely anonymous and voluntary, and include 99 questions.
In the fall of 2021, the School District of Philadelphia administered the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to 1,351 randomly selected high school students from 30 District schools. This report highlights statistically weighted results from the 2021 Philadelphia YRBS, which means that the results are considered representative of high school students in the entire District.
Note: Data collection, availability, and analysis were significantly delayed in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.