Press Release

Surveillance Summaries: SS-8, Vol. 49, August 18, 2000

Surveillance for Characteristics of Health Education Among Secondary Schools - School Health Education Profiles, 1998

The School Health Education Profiles monitor characteristics of health education in middle or junior high schools and senior high schools in the United States. The Profiles are school-based surveys conducted by state and local education agencies. A median of 91.0% of schools in states and 86.2% of schools in cities taught a separate health education course. The median percentage of schools in each state and city that tried to increase student knowledge in selected topics (i.e., prevention of tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, pregnancy, HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, violence, or suicide; dietary behaviors and nutrition; and physical activity and fitness) was greater than 73% for each of these topics.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES