Appendix H2 - District-level Recruitment Script for the YRBS - supplemental documents

H2. District-level Recruitment Script for the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Supplemental Documents - District Letter of Invitation

DISTRICT LETTER OF INVITATION

{DATE}

{FIELD}1

Dear {FIELD}2 :

I am writing to inform you that 3 schools in your district are among the 200 schools randomly selected across the United States to participate in the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a survey of the priority health-risk behaviors among students in grades 9 through 12. The YRBS is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and was designed in 1991 in cooperation with 19 Federal agencies and 75 state and local departments of education.

Your support for the survey also would help ensure the voluntary participation of schools in your district. The selected schools are:

School	Grade(Number of Classes)

The YRBS has widespread support. The survey is supported by many major national organizations interested in the health of youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association for Health Education, the American Association of School Administrators, the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, the Association of State and Territorial Chronic Disease Directors, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Education Association, the National PTA, the National School Boards Association, and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation have provided letters of support.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System has become the primary source of information on the most important health risk behaviors of high school students in this country and is increasingly used by leading educators, public health officials, the media, and others to advocate for and improve school health policies and programs. In parallel to the national survey, the YRBS questionnaire is used independently by many state and local departments of education and health to conduct their own surveys. Results from the national YRBS serve as an index against which results from state- and local-level surveys can be compared.

The YRBS is designed to focus on those priority health-risk behaviors established during youth that result in the most significant mortality and morbidity during both youth and adulthood. The survey provides information on (1) behaviors that result in unintentional injuries and violence; (2) tobacco use; (3) alcohol and other drug use; (4) sexual behaviors that contribute to HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancies; (5) unhealthy dietary behaviors; and (6) physical inactivity.

The YRBS is conducted biennially among a random sample of 9th through 12th grade students. A new sample of students is selected each time the survey is conducted. In each school, one or two classes at each grade are selected randomly to participate. Though some school districts selected to participate this year may be selected in future years, it is very unlikely the same schools will be selected more than once. The 98-item questionnaire will be administered during one normal class period by specially trained field staff. Survey administration procedures are designed to protect student privacy and allow for anonymous participation. Counties, cities, school districts, schools, and students will not be identified in any published reports.

As a symbol of appreciation for contributing their time and support and for being a significant partner in the 2009 YRBS effort, the CDC will provide each participating school with a monetary incentive. One option is to use these funds for prevention curriculum and educational materials. However, no restrictions will be placed on how schools can use these funds. Schools also will receive a copy of the published report on survey results and a variety of educational materials related to the health of young people.

Enclosed are a copy of the questionnaire, a sample parental permission form and survey fact sheet, letters of support, and a copy of the 2007 YRBS results report. Within one week, a representative from Macro International Inc., a nationally recognized survey research firm, will contact you to discuss participation in the survey. Data collection will be scheduled for February through April, 2009. If you have any immediate questions, please call Dr. Danice Eaton of my staff at (770) 488-6143. Your support for this survey will help assess and improve efforts to reduce priority health-risk behaviors among adolescents throughout our Nation.

Sincerely yours,

Howell Wechsler, Ed. D., M.P.H.

Director

Division of Adolescent and School Health

National Center for Chronic Disease

Prevention and Health Promotion

Enclosures