Survey looks at risky behavior at Westborough High
By Catie Foertsch Community Reporter

Westborough - A survey on adolescent health and risky behavior was administered to 987 Westborough High School (WHS) students in December 2006 by the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, and results were presented to the School Committee at its June 20 meeting. The survey asked students about behaviors including smoking, driving after drinking, carrying weapons and suicide attempts.

"Much of it is concerning," School Committee member Karen Henderson said. "It goes to strongly support our decision to budget for and implement a wellness program."

Substance use

The survey asked students about their behavior with alcohol in the past 30 days. Forty percent (about 395 students) had consumed alcohol, and 24 percent (about 237 students) had five or more drinks in a row. Thirteen percent (about 128) said they had driven a car when they'd been drinking, and 23 percent (about 227 students) said they'd ridden in a car driven be someone who'd been drinking.

Henderson called the information about how many students are in cars driven by someone who had been drinking "a scary statistic … because the consequences can be truly catastrophic."

Alcohol is by far the most popular drug, but students said they used other drugs as well. Seven percent said they had used inhalants, 3 percent said they'd used methamphetamine, 5 percent said they'd used cocaine, 2 percent said they'd used heroin, and 26 percent said they'd used marijuana. Weapons, date rape,

suicide

Seven percent (about 69) said they'd been threatened with a weapon in the last year and 6 percent (about 59) said they'd carried a weapon during the past 30 days. Two percent (about 20) said they'd carried a weapon on school property during the past 30 days.

Nine percent (about 88 students) said they'd been physically hurt by a date and five percent (about 50 students) said they'd been the victim of date rape.

In the past 12 months, 3 percent (about 30 students) said they'd attempted suicide. About 10 of those students had required medical treatment as a result. Nine percent, or about 89 students, had seriously considered suicide.

The survey also reported results for weight control and physical activity, sexual behavior, smoking and stress.

School Committee member Craig Harris said that because Westborough ranked lower than national and state averages in risky behaviors, "we feel immune to some of these things."

Adult support

Feeling part of their school, and feeling supported by adults at school, is associated with fewer risky behaviors, according to the report, and a strong majority of WHS students said they felt safe in their school, felt a part of their school and felt they had at least one adult at school they could talk to if they had a problem.

Wellness program

WHS's new wellness program is being developed over the summer and will begin in the fall. Roger Anderson, the district's physical education coordinator, told the School Committee that the program will give students the skills they need to be able to respond in a healthy and safe way when tempted by risky behaviors.

Anderson said he will come back to the School Committee in the fall with a complete report on the wellness program.

The survey will be repeated every other year. Other data will also be used to evaluate and quantify how the wellness program is reducing risky behavior, Anderson said. Copies of the study are available in the school and town libraries.