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Other surveys, including the University of Michigan’s “Surveying the Future” and the state of Ohio’s “OHYES!,” report similar trends.
The number of kids vaping nicotine has increased in recent years but is still far below the prevalence of smoking in the past.
However, the CDC survey showed more students are experiencing violence at school and reporting more problems with mental health, such as suicidal thoughts and anxiety.
The CDC survey discovered students who identified as LGBTQ+ were more likely to use alcohol or drugs and experienced worse mental health and more bullying than their peers. The report said schools that implemented strategies to support those students found all teens in the schools reported fewer problems with mental illness and less risky behavior.
“It’s important that when we are addressing disparities, that parents, as well in their communities, are creating supportive, affirming environments that reduce stigma, increase access to mental health resources and provide inclusive education,” said Barb Marsh, a Wright State University professor of social work who specializes in public health and mental health.
Kevin Lorson, a health science education professor at Wright State University, said the health curriculum has seemed to reduce the prevalence of high school students engaging in risky behaviors.
“In health ed, one of the things that we’re doing, within the curriculum and just in health ed, is saying it’s normal to make healthy and safe choices,” he said.
Lorson noted other school-based practices, like making sure students feel connected and safe around adults at the schools, are also linked to helping kids feel empowered to make healthier decisions.
Marsh said public health campaigns around not smoking, reducing drinking, safe sex and the fallout from the opioid epidemic might also be driving the change.
“I would say the combination of education policy changes, shifting norms and health awareness may likely provide explanations why fewer teens and young adults are engaging in these risky behaviors,” Marsh said.
But that same age group is also struggling with their mental health. Marsh said teens and young adults are more isolated now than pre-pandemic, which is contributing to worse mental health in teens and young adults, but that age group will engage in more risky behaviors when they’re in groups.
At Wright State, Marsh said the university is requiring all faculty to be trained in mental health first aid and plans to hold several events discussing mental health this year, including more screenings for their students.
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