Health Risks Among American Indian/Alaska Native High School Students
Author Information
Author(s): Everett Jones Sherry, Anderson Khadija, Lowry Richard, Conner Holly
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
What are the health risk behaviors among American Indian/Alaska Native high school students compared to other racial/ethnic groups?
Conclusion
AI/AN high school students exhibit significantly higher rates of certain health risk behaviors compared to their peers from other racial/ethnic groups.
Supporting Evidence
- AI/AN students had higher rates of cigarette and alcohol use compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
- 7 out of 16 health risk behaviors were more prevalent among AI/AN students than white students.
- AI/AN students showed significant differences in dietary behaviors compared to their peers.
Takeaway
This study found that American Indian and Alaska Native high school students are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors than students from other backgrounds.
Methodology
Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey was combined from 2001 to 2009 to analyze health risk behaviors among AI/AN students.
Potential Biases
The study combined multiple years of data to increase sample size, which may mask temporal changes in health behaviors.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to AI/AN students in Bureau of Indian Education schools and do not reflect changes in prevalence over time.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 952 AI/AN students, along with black, Hispanic, and white students from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website