Risky Behaviors
Behaviors that put youth at risk of injury or long-term harm: binge drinking, frequent vape use, unprotected sex, and unsafe driving. Some of these have improved over time. Texting while driving has shot up sharply since 2021. Patterns by sex, race, and sexual orientation reveal who is most exposed.
Key Findings
- Binge drinking rose from 10% in 2017 to 12% in 2023 in SDUSD; 15% among girls, 17% among bisexual students, 19% among White students.
- Frequent vape use: 6% of girls versus 2% of boys.
- Frequent cigarette smoking in SDUSD fell from 4% in 2005 to 0.5% in 2021 — close to elimination.
- STD testing among sexually active students: 88% reported not getting tested in 2023.
- Driving under the influence: 6% of SDUSD students in 2023, down from 8% in 2013.
- Driving while texting jumped from 23% in 2021 to 34% in 2023 in San Diego; 41% among White students, 24% among Asian students.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking — five or more drinks for boys or four or more for girls in a couple of hours — has risen since 2017, from 10% to 12% in 2023 among SDUSD students.
Disparities span sex, race, and sexual orientation. 15% of girls report binge drinking versus 10% of boys. By sexual orientation, rates range from 8% (“other”) to 17% (bisexual). By race, from 6% (AANHPI) to 19% (White). Older students binge drink more than younger students.
Binge drinking, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Frequent Vape Use
Frequent vape use (use on 20 or more of the past 30 days) is concentrated among girls: 6% versus 2% of boys.
Frequent vape use, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Frequent Cigarette Use
Frequent cigarette smoking has all but disappeared in SDUSD: 4% in 2005, 0.5% in 2021. Cigarettes are no longer the dominant nicotine product among high-school students.
Frequent cigarette smoking, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Pregnancy & STD Prevention
Among sexually active SDUSD students in 2023, 88% reported not receiving STD testing. The pregnancy-prevention question covers whether students used a method (or whether their partner used one) the last time they had sex.
Did not receive STD testing, sexually active high-school students
Higher values mean fewer sexually active students were tested. Available breakdowns are limited to geography and gender for this YRBS item.
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Pregnancy prevention, sexually active high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
6% of SDUSD students reported driving under the influence of alcohol in 2023, down from 8% in 2013.
Drove under the influence of alcohol, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Driving While Texting
Driving while texting fell from 2013 to 2021, then surged: 23% in 2021 to 34% in 2023. The increase touched almost every demographic group, with White students reaching 41% — the highest rate by race.
Drove while texting, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →