Survey finds lower smoking, drinking among Diné teens
WINDOW ROCK
Navajo Nation teenagers reported lower rates of smoking, drinking and fighting than students did 15 years ago, but new health data also found high rates of depression symptoms, screen time, sexual violence, food insecurity and sleep loss.
The 2023 Navajo Youth Risk Behavior Survey was released by the Navajo Health Education Program. The survey covers middle and high school students at schools serving the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The survey, first conducted in 1993, is given every three years to students in grades 6 through 12. The 2023 results are the fifth data set since 2008. The survey was not conducted in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new online dashboard includes trend data from 2017 to 2023. Health officials said the information can help schools and communities develop programs, support health education, guide policy decisions, secure funding and support future surveys.
The Navajo survey is modeled after the federal Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also includes questions for Navajo students about clan, language and traditional ceremonies.
To read the full article, please see the May 21, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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