Here are five key takeaways from the survey’s findings this year.
1. Cigarette use has been steadily declining among American youth in recent decades. In 1991, 28 percent of high school students reported using cigarettes in the last 30 days. That number decreased to 11 percent in 2015. However, 24 percent of students surveyed in 2015 reported using e-cigarettes in the last 30 days.
2. The new data suggests physical violence among this population is on the decline, with 22.6 percent of students reporting that they had been in a physical fight in the last year. In 1991, that number was 42.5 percent.
3. Nationwide, 17 percent of students reported taking prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them by a physician.
4. While teens reported having less sex in 2015 than in previous years, condom use and HIV testing is on the decline.
5. Of the 61.3 percent of students surveyed who drove a vehicle during the 30 days prior to the survey, 41.5 percent reported texting or emailing while behind the wheel.
More articles on pollution and health:
NIH, EPA partner to research environmental health disparities among vulnerable populations
White House releases report on impact of climate change on public health: 7 key takeaways
Research identifies long-term effects of prenatal exposure to air pollution
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