News

Survey Gives Window Into Community’s Students

By Chris Frost
Eagle Times News Editor
WINDSOR, VT — The Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union received the results of a Youth Risk Behavior Survey during its Monday, Sept. 25, meeting.

The survey noted that in the Windsor District, high school males better understand the “risk of use” associated with tobacco, cannabis and alcohol, and believe they are at greater risk of harming themselves and using substances than statewide peers.

High school students are more physically active than statewide peers, and vaping rates are steady, while middle school rates trend down, along with cannabis use at the middle schools.

Females report further education plans than statewide peers, with parents regularly following up and checking in with their students.

Mount Ascutney Hospital Community Health Director Melanie Sheehan presented the results of the District’s survey data and led off with demographics in the area.

“I’m making sure we’re framing the appropriate lens and how we’re looking at the data’s results,” Sheehan said.

“There is 9 percent BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), 91 percent are white non-Hispanic and 38 percent are LGBTQ+,” she said. “There are 219 middle school students, and in 6-8 grades, 5 percent are BIPOC, and 95 percent are White, non-Hispanic and 40 percent identify as LGBTQ+.”

She noted that the 2021 survey was given out during COVID-19, during the fall, an unusual time.

“We’re really not looking at apples-to-apples here, and we’re trying not to look at trends, but this is an unusual circumstance,” Sheehan said. “It’s really not the same process to look at this year’s data compared to previous years.”

She said caution should be used while interpreting the data, but schools can use it to determine policies and practices needed to support students.

“We in community and public health assess if we have community-based programs that can help and support students,” said.

Across the state, students are experiencing poor mental health, anxiety, sadness, and suicide risk. Female students are two times more likely than male students to report self-harm and make plans to kill themselves and attempt to kill themselves during the past 12 months.

“We are seeing BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students significantly more likely to be treated unfairly and experience violence compared to their peers,” Sheehan said. “LGBTQ+ students are also 3-4 times more likely to report to report self-harm and suicidality compared to heterosexual cisgender students.”

She said electronic vapor products, alcohol, and marijuana use among high school students remain a concern.

“In prevention, we tend to look at risk factors, which are balanced by protective factors,” she said. “We find the more assets the youth have in their lives, the more protective factors they have to combat the risk.”

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