The Maryland YRBS is part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) developed in 1990 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor behaviors that affect morbidity (disease) and mortality (death) among high-school-age youth. The YRBSS monitors several categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth.
The 2009 Maryland YRBS addresses the following ten major health concerns:
- Injury and Violence
- Bullying and Harassment
- Suicide
- Tobacco Use
- Alcohol Use
- Other Drug Use
- Physical Activity
- Nutrition
- Overweight and Obesity
- Protective Factors
In the spring of 2009, the Maryland YRBS was administered to students in a representative sample of Maryland public high school classrooms. A total of 1,644 students in 30 Maryland public high schools completed the survey, resulting in a 78% response rate. The 2009 Maryland YRBS results are representative of all Maryland’s public school students in grades 9 through 12.
| 
