March 14, 2024

Survey provides insights into the health and wellbeing of Kitsap County youth

Healthy Youth Survey results showed encouraging trends around substance use and social support, while highlighting areas of concern.  

KITSAP COUNTY, WA — Newly released Healthy Youth Survey results offered encouraging trends around youth wellbeing in Kitsap County and across the state, with students reporting improved health behaviors and increased social support. The survey also highlighted areas of ongoing concern and disparities between different groups of students.

“We see a lot of cause for optimism in these survey results, especially as our community continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jessica Guidry, Kitsap Public Health’s Assistant Community Health Director. “The survey also shows we collectively have a lot of work to do to ensure young people in Kitsap have what they need to thrive, particularly when it comes to mental health and wellbeing.”

State agencies administer the Healthy Youth Survey every two years to students in grades 6,8,10, and 12. Results from the 2023 survey, released this week, represent anonymous responses from more than 217,000 Washington students, including 6,627 from Kitsap County schools. Data can be accessed at askhys.net.

Many organizations, including schools, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, use Healthy Youth Survey results to understand student needs and strengthen resources to promote youth wellbeing and resilience.

KEY TRENDS

Here are key trends highlighted in 2023 Healthy Youth responses data from 10^th grade students (results from this grade level are considered the best and most complete indicator of the health of high school students):

• Youth substance use trends are encouraging. A roughly 50% decrease in most youth substance use was reported from 2018 to 2021, both in Kitsap and statewide (a scheduled 2020 survey was delayed by a year due to COVID-19). Substance use rates remained largely unchanged in 2023, meaning that the improvement in youth substance use behaviors reported during the pandemic continued into last year.
  
  
• Use of some drugs increased. Misuse of prescription drugs, painkillers, and some illegal drugs increased from 2021 to 2023. A relatively small proportion of students — fewer than 4 out of 100 in Kitsap — reported these behaviors. Concerningly, Kitsap students reported misusing painkillers at a statistically significantly higher rate than students statewide.
  
  
• Students reporting depressive feelings and contemplation of suicide remains highly concerning. In Kitsap, more than one in three students reported persistent depressive feelings and nearly one in five reported having contemplated suicide; both rates were higher than rates reported statewide. On a more hopeful note, the rate of students reporting suicidal thoughts statewide was the lowest reported in 20 years.

• Some groups are more likely to report feeling depressed. In Kitsap and statewide, students who identified as female were nearly two times more likely to report depressive feelings than students who identified as male. Statewide, students who reported a disability were three times more likely to report depressive feelings than those who did not report a disability. Additionally, students who identified as LGBTQ+ were two times more likely to report depressive feelings than students who did not identify as LGBTQ+. 

• Students reported increased social supports, compared with 2021. These supports included having adults to turn to when they felt depressed and having people at school who could help them.

LEARN MORE

Washington State Health Care Authority, Washington State Department of Health, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Liquor and Cannabis Board collaborate on the biennial Healthy Youth Survey. Student participation is voluntary and anonymous. Learn more about the survey and view survey data at askhysnet.org.

More heath data for Kitsap County can be found at kitsappublichealth.org/data. 

KITSAP RESOURCES

Many organizations in Kitsap County support youth health and wellbeing. Helpful resources include:

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Coffee Oasis Teen Text Line, Volunteers of America Crisis Call Line, and Salish Regional Crisis Line provide 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, and prevention and crisis resources for individuals and families. 
  
  
• The Kitsap County Suicide Awareness and Prevention group increases awareness of—and access to— suicide prevention support and resources for all ages, with the goal of reducing suicide in our community. 
  
  
• The Trevor Project provides a confidential hotline for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need for a safe, judgment-free place to talk.
  
  
• Teen Link is a program of Crisis Connections that serves youth in Washington state, providing a phone hotline and text chat.

CONTACT:

Tad Sooter | Public Information Officer
Kitsap Public Health District
360-728-2330 - office | 360-728-2235 - main
pio@kitsappublichealth.org | kitsappublichealth.org