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Montana students have more mental health problems, but are less likely to smoke or drink, survey says

Missoulian - 7/29/2017

A statewide survey released Thursday shows Montana students are experiencing more mental health issues than ever before.

The 2017 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey said 31 percent of students felt sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more in a row, and that prohibited some usual activities. Almost 21 percent seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year and 9.6 percent actually attempted suicide one or more times. Those numbers have increased gradually since 2007.

The survey is distributed randomly to schools every two years. In 2017, 47 public schools participated and 4,741 students in grades nine through 12 voluntarily completed the survey. The results are supposed to help school districts identify local needs in their own community, but respondents demonstrated a statewide trend in increased mental health issues.

A spokesperson for Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen said mental health is one of her administrative priorities.

“As a mother, grandmother, and teacher, I am encouraged that in many areas more Montana students are making healthy and safe decisions, however, more emphasis is needed on positive mental health. I urge local schools, communities, and parents to use this information to promote health, well-being, and success for our most precious treasures, our students,” Arntzen said in a statement.

But the Office of Public Instruction acknowledges school budgets are lean and funding is limited for additional mental health programs. A spokesperson said Arntzen has been in contact with the Counselor’s Association and other state education officials to raise awareness in schools. OPI is also updating and expanding the “Bully Free Toolkit” with resources for schools, parents and both general education students and students with disabilities. Schools could potentially use federal assistance through the Every Student Succeeds Act to expand some mental health programs.

Despite a rise in mental health problems, students were less likely to participate in harmful behaviors such as smoking cigarettes and driving after drinking than in previous surveys.

Students are much less likely to have ever tried a cigarette. In 2007, 52 percent had smoked a cigarette and only 34 percent had tried one in 2017. Students are less likely to smoke frequently or daily, although 22.5 percent of students regularly use an electronic vapor product.

Overall, students are less likely to use alcohol or try any drug than they were 10 years ago.

In regards to texting while driving, 54.2 percent said they had done so in the past 30 days, which is unchanged from 2015. Almost 57 percent had talked on the phone while driving in the past 30 days, which is also similar to 2015.

In 2017, 8.5 percent of students said they have had a weapon on school property, while 10.6 percent of students said they did in 2015.

The number of students who said they experienced sexual dating violence in the last year decreased from 10 percent to 6.5 percent.

Sexual behaviors were similar over a 10-year period. Approximately 43 percent of students in 2017 said they have had sexual intercourse, compared to 45.7 percent in 2007. Students are less likely to use a condom than they were in 2007, but have relied more on other forms of contraception such as birth control pills, or an IUD, shot or patch. Only 14.6 percent of students in 2017 said they used both a condom and another form of contraception.

Students are more likely to be obese than they were 10 years ago. In 2017, 14.6 students were overweight and 11.7 percent were obese. Students watch less television than they did in 2007 but are more likely to spend time playing video or computer games for three or more hours a day. In 2007, 16.2 percent of students played a video or computer game for more than three hours and 34.6 percent did in 2017.

The survey is expected to have an error rate of 3 percent and warns users to consider that respondents have a tendency to underreport socially undesirable or unhealthy behaviors and overreport desirable or healthy behaviors.