The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) was developed by the CDC in 1990 to monitor six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults. These behaviors, often established during childhood and early adolescence, include:
- Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence,
- Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection,
- Alcohol and other drug use,
- Tobacco use,
- Unhealthy dietary behaviors, and
- Inadequate physical activity.
YRBSS also measures the prevalence of obesity and asthma and other health-related behaviors plus sexual identity and sex of sexual contacts.
YRBSS includes a national school-based survey (the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, or YRBS) conducted by CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments. The survey is conducted biannually since 1991, providing national data on the health-risk behaviors of 9th- to 12th-grade students. From 1991 through 2017, the YRBSS has collected data from more than 4.4 million high school students in more than 1,900 separate surveys.
SOGI Lab researchers use the YRBS to examine health disparities in sexual orientation and gender minority youth.