Healthy Youth Survey

Every two years NSD 6th-, 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade students participate in the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS). Our schools will be conducting the survey during one class period the week of October 9th through 27th. The survey is sponsored by the Department of Health, the Family Policy Council and other state agencies.  

What is the Healthy Youth Survey?
The HYS measures health risk behaviors that contribute to illness, death, and social problems among youth in Washington State. These behaviors include alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drug use; behaviors that result in intentional and unintentional injuries (e.g., violence); behaviors related to food; physical activity; mental health; school climate; and related risk and protective factors.  

What questions are on the survey?
Survey questions come from several well-established surveys that have taken place across the nation and in Washington. Click here for a copy of the survey questions.

Question topics include: 

  • Background information (age, gender, grade, race/ethnicity) 

  • Feelings about school and community 

  • Relationships with parents, friends and neighbors 

  • Nutrition, eating habits, physical activity 

  • Health education 

  • Knowledge, attitudes about, and use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs 

  • Behavior related to safety and feelings about safety 

  • Violence-related behavior 

Is the survey voluntary?
Student participation is completely voluntary and anonymous. 

Students not taking the survey will be provided with an alternative activity, such as reading or working in the library.

How is student identity protected?
The administration procedures are designed to protect student privacy and anonymity. Students are not asked for their names or identification numbers. 

Need more information?
If you have any questions about the purpose of the survey or survey procedures, please contact the HYS Principal Investigator at (877) HYS-7111, or email healthy.youth@doh.wa.gov. 

Support for the survey is provided by Looking Glass Analytics.The Washington State Institutional Review Board (WSIRB) provides review, approval, and oversight for HYS on:  

  • Survey methods 

  • Survey recruitment and administration materials 

  • The parent and student notification processes 

  • Survey content and questions  

  • Rules for reporting HYS results and data sharing requirements 

Survey Results