Complete Indicator Profile - Mental Health - Adolescents (Grades 9-12) - Sad or Hopeless for 2 Weeks (HA2020 Leading Health Indicator: 8)

Skip directly to searchSkip directly to the site navigationSkip directly to this page's context menuSkip directly to the page's main content
State of Alaska

Complete Indicator Profile of Mental Health - Adolescents (Grades 9-12) - Sad or Hopeless for 2 Weeks (HA2020 Leading Health Indicator: 8)

Definition

Adolescents (students in grades 9-12) who felt so sad or hopeless every day for 2 weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities during the past 12 months.

Numerator

Number of adolescents (students in grades 9-12) responding yes to the question: "During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities?"

Denominator

Number of adolescents (students in grades 9-12) with complete and valid responses to the question.

Why Is This Important?

Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity. Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and contribution to community or society. Mental health was recognized in the U.S. Surgeon General's 1999 report as being fundamental to overall health. Poor mental health can occur across the lifespan, affecting persons of all racial and ethnic groups, both sexes, and all educational and socioeconomic groups. Evidence has shown that mental disorders are strongly related to the occurrence, successful treatment, and course of many chronic diseases including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and obesity, as well as many risk behaviors for chronic disease, including physical inactivity, smoking, excessive drinking, and insufficient sleep. In teens, sadness or depression can lead to poor grades at school, alcohol or drug use, unsafe sex, and other problems. National studies have found that mental health issues have been the most commonly identified precipitating circumstance in suicides.

Other Objectives

Healthy Alaskans 2020 Target: 23%



Related Indicators

Related Relevant Population Characteristics Indicator Profiles:


Related Health Care System Factors Indicator Profiles:


Related Risk Factors Indicator Profiles:


Related Health Status Outcomes Indicator Profiles:




Graphical Data Views

Percentage of adolescents (students in grades 9-12 in traditional high schools) who felt so sad or hopeless for 2 weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities during the past 12 months, all Alaskans, Alaska Natives, and U.S., 2001-2019

::chart - missing::

Alaska Comparisons Year Percentage of adolescents who felt sad or hopeless Lower Limit Upper Limit
Record Count: 25
All Alaskans 2001 **
All Alaskans 2003 25.2% 22.8% 27.9%
All Alaskans 2005 **
All Alaskans 2007 26.9% 24.3% 29.7%
All Alaskans 2009 25.2% 22.4% 28.3%
All Alaskans 2011 25.9% 23.2% 28.9%
All Alaskans 2013 27.2% 24.4% 30.2%
Alaska Natives 2001 **
Alaska Natives 2003 25.1% 19.2% 32.1%
Alaska Natives 2005 **
Alaska Natives 2007 31.7% 26.6% 37.3%
Alaska Natives 2009 25.6% 19.9% 32.2%
Alaska Natives 2011 23.4% 19.7% 27.6%
Alaska Natives 2013 31.3% 26.5% 36.5%
U.S. 2001 28.3% 26.9% 29.7%
U.S. 2003 28.6% 26.9% 30.3%
U.S. 2005 28.5% 27.2% 29.7%
U.S. 2007 28.5% 27.1% 29.8%
U.S. 2009 26.1% 24.8% 27.5%
U.S. 2011 28.5% 27.2% 29.7%
U.S. 2013 **
Healthy Alaskans Goal 2013 23.0%
Healthy Alaskans Goal 2015 23.0%
Healthy Alaskans Goal 2017 23.0%
Healthy Alaskans Goal 2019 23.0%

Data Notes

Healthy Alaskans 2020 Target: 23%

** Data Not Available

Weighted Alaska data for this indicator were obtained in 2003, 2007, 2009, and 2011. Alaska did not conduct a YRBS survey in 2001 and in 2005 did not obtain a 60% overall response rate to ensure that data would be representative of the high school students statewide.   Traditional high schools are public high schools that are distinct from correspondence schools, alternative high schools, which serve students at risk of not graduating, and students enrolled in high school in correctional facilities. Healthy Alaskans 2020 goals were established using results from traditional high school students.

Data Sources

  • Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, School Health and YRBS Program
  • Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion


More Resources and Links

Alaska and national goals may be found at the following sites:

Maps of health indicators for various subdivisions of Alaska may be found at the following site:

Evidence-based community health improvement ideas and interventions may be found at the following sites:

Additional indicator data by state and county may be found on these Websites:

Medical literature can be queried at the PubMed website.

For an on-line medical dictionary, click on this Dictionary link.

Page Content Updated On 02/20/2014, Published on 02/20/2014
The information provided above is from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services' Center for Health Data and Statistics, Alaska Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health (Ak-IBIS) web site (http://ibis.dhss.alaska.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: "Retrieved Thu, 24 April 2014 11:12:20 from Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Center for Health Data and Statistics, Alaska Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health web site: http://ibis.dhss.alaska.gov".

Content updated: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:28:55 AKST