OKLAHOMA: Poll Finds Most High School Students Are Sexually Active

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

OKLAHOMA: Poll Finds Most High School Students Are Sexually Active

Associated Press (12.19.03) - Monday, December 22, 2003

A benchmark survey released Thursday by the Oklahoma Board of Education found that of 1,384 Oklahoma high school students in grades 9-12 surveyed, about half reported having had sex, tried cigarettes, and consumed alcohol. It was the first year for the state to participate in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every other spring by CDC. The survey was carried out in 36 Oklahoma schools.

Officials will use the results in developing public health policies and programs, said state Health Commissioner Mike Crutcher. "These data provide a foundation for us to develop coordinated school health programs that reinforce positive behaviors, help students make smart choices and support learning and success in school," Crutcher said.

Of students surveyed, about 51 percent of males and 49 percent of females said they have had sex. Of those, 15.6 percent said that they have had more than four partners. Nearly 6 percent said they had sex before age 13.

Nearly half (47.8 percent) of the students said they had drunk alcohol in the prior 30 days. About one-third of all students had drunk five or more drinks within two hours. Many students (22 percent) also reported having been offered, sold or given illegal drugs on school property.

Almost two-thirds of the students polled reported having tried cigarettes, and about 26 percent currently smoke. Thirteen percent of boys and 2.5 percent of girls had brought a weapon to school in the previous 30 days. As calculated by body mass index, nearly 16 percent of students are overweight; 12.5 percent are at risk of obesity.

National YRBS data for 2003 will be released in several months.
031222
AD032649

Copyright © 2003 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.