Family and Youth Services Bureau
Abstinence Statistics Fact Sheet
Understanding the Differences Between the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey and the National Survey of Family Growth
Those interested in compiling statistics on abstinence among American youth turn to two primary sources: the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS) and the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Because the two instruments are administered differently to different populations, the results also appear to differ. However, the trends over time observed in both studies are very similar, as are responses by gender. This fact sheet is intended to explain the differences between the two surveys, both of which serve as sources of valuable, high-quality information on the sexual behavior of American youth.
The Results*
YRBS: The percentage of ninth- through twelfth-graders who have had sexual intercourse dropped from 54.1% to 46.8% between 1991 and 2005. For boys, the decrease was from 57.4% to 47.9%, and for girls, from 50.8% to 45.7%.
NSFG: The percentage of 15- to 19-year-olds who have had sexual intercourse dropped from 60.4% to 45.7% for boys, and from 51.1% to 45.5% for girls, from 1988 to 2002.
The Instruments**
|
YRBS |
NSFG |
Survey Sample |
Students in attendance the day the survey is administered at selected U.S. high schools |
Teens within a larger representative household sample of U.S. men and women age 15-44 |
Response Rate |
60% to 70%*** |
81% to 83% of teen respondents |
Mode of Interview |
Self-administered paper and pencil survey completed by the student in the classroom |
Professional interviewers conduct face-to-face interviews using a computerized questionnaire; respondents may enter some answers directly into a computer without the interviewer to protect privacy |
Abstinence Question(s) |
"Have you ever had intercourse?"
(It is possible that some respondents may answer "Yes" if they have had sexual activity other than vaginal intercourse.) |
Interviewers ask a number of questions to elicit a response specifically about vaginal intercourse |
Frequency |
Biennial (every two years) |
Periodic – approximately every 7 years |
For a detailed comparison of results from four major surveys, please see the following report (Note: Does not include latest data from YRBS and NSFG):
Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Estimates and Trends from Four Nationally Representative Surveys. Authors: J. Santelli et al. 2000. In Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 32, No. 4 (July/Aug. 2000): pp. 156-165, 194.
A table showing differences in survey design and implementation is on page 158; detailed discussion of possible sources of differences in estimates is on pages 162-165.
* Data from the YRBS may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm; data from the NSFG may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm. Both data sets are managed by agencies within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)
** Two offices in the Department of Health and Human Services were consulted in the creation of this table: (1) the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, in the Administration for Children and Families; and (2) the National Center for Health Statistics, in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
*** These response rates are for the range of response rates from 1991 to 2005 surveys, as reported by staff that manage the NSFG. The 2005 YRBS report "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 2005" states, "School response rates ranged from 72% to 100%; student response rates ranged from 61% to 93%; and overall response rates ranged from 60% to 85%." |
