Implications for Improving the Health of Oklahoma’s Youth Despite decades of prevention programming, young people remain at risk for a
multitude of negative health behaviors and outcomes including substance use,
sexual behaviors, violence, and obesity. Unfortunately, Oklahoma’s youth do not
fare well on many of these measures when compared to their peers in other states.
Of the 42 states participating in the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Oklahoma
high school students rank:
5th highest in being overweight, smoking cigarettes in the past 30 days, being sexually active during the past 3 months, and having taken steroids without a doctor’s prescription;
6th highest in using tobacco (any type) during the past 30 days, and being involved in a physical fight on school property.
But the story of Oklahoma’s youth doesn’t have to end there. The Youth Asset
Study, recently completed by researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health
Sciences Center, indicates there are a number of youth assets that may
contribute to health risk reduction among adolescents. The five-year longitudinal
study, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the only study
of its kind in regard to quality, focus, methods, and outcomes.
The results of the Youth Asset Study, a summary
of which is contained in this brief report, indicate
many opportunities for intervention to help
Oklahoma’s youth shape their futures in positive
and powerful ways.
assets simultaneously protect youth
from numerous risk factors Youth Gender
Male
47%
Female
53%
Youth Age
17
(13%)
12
(15%)
13
(21%)
14
(21%)
15
(18%)
16
(13%)
Designed to investigate the relationship between youth assets (protective factors) and
adolescent risk behaviors and other health outcomes, data were collected annually
beginning in 2003 from 1,111 Oklahoma City youth and parents. Participating youth
were 53% female and 47% male, ranging in age from 12 to 17 at the beginning of the
study. Thirty-nine percent were white, 28% Hispanic, 24% African American, and 4%
Native American.
Youth Race/Ethnicity
Native
American
(4%)
Other
(6%)
Hispanic
(28%)
Black
(24%)
White
(39%)
Youth assets are COMMUNITY, FAMILY, AND INDIVIDUAL factors that help
youth avoid risk behaviors and increase the likelihood that they will successfully
transition into adulthood. For the purposes of this study, 17 assets were
conceptualized and developed based on focus group studies, reviews of the
scientific literature, and the investigative team’s quantitative research. FAMILY LEVEL ASSETS
Family communication Parental monitoring
Relationship with mother Relationship with father
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ASSETS
General aspirations for the future Educational aspirations Cultural respect Responsible choices
Good health practices
(exercise/nutrition) Religiosity General self-confidence Use of time (groups/sports) Use of time (religion) Community involvement School connectedness Positive peer role models Non-parental adult role models
COMMUNITY LEVEL ASSETS
general aspirations
for the future
educational aspirations
for the future
good health practices
(exercise/nutrition)
cultural respect
religiosity
general self confidence
use of time
(groups/sports)
use of time
(religion)
100%
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
94.4%
84.9%
responsible choices
96.5%
91.5%
57.1%
80.5%
88.5%
24.1%
Below is a chart showing the percentage of youth reporting having each asset in the final year of the study. ASSETS PROTECT AGAINST MANY RISK BEHAVIORS AND PROMOTE POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES
EMPHASIZES THAT ALL YOUTH BENEFIT FROM ASSETS, NOT ONLY THOSE DEEMED TO BE “AT RISK”
PREVENTION THROUGH ASSET-BUILDING IS MORE EFFICACIOUS AND COST
EFFECTIVE THAN REMEDIAL OR TREATMENT APPROACHES
FOCUS IS ALSO ON THE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ENVIRONMENT, NOT JUST
ON YOUTH
POSITIVE FRAMING AND APPROACH
Promotes positive aspects of adolescents and their families and communities Does not view youth as problems to “fix” Reduces or eliminates potential opposition due to political, ideological or
financial reasons
of time
(religion)
community involvement
positive peer role models
non-parental adult
role models
family communication
parental monitoring
relationship with mother
relationship with father
school connectedness
31.9%
18.1%
72.0%
57.4%
88.8%
65.5%
73.4%
82.9%
64.1%
study. The Youth Asset Study explored a total of seventeen assets and their impact as protective factors
for youth. The longitudinal nature of the study produced a vast amount of information. Breaking
the data down in different ways allows for a better understanding of the power and potential of
the findings. To this end, the information here is organized into three categories: the effects of
single assets (the power of one), the effects of multiple assets (more is better), and the ability of
assets to promote positive outcomes (promoting positive futures).
The presence of even a single youth asset can have a positive impact on a young
person’s life: the results of the Youth Asset Study indicate that certain assets, when
present at the beginning of the study, still provided protection from risk behaviors
four years later. These positive impacts were noted across many different assets
and many different risk behaviors. Youth who reported at the beginning of the study having a relationship with their father were
almost twice as likely not to skip school four years later. Youth who initially reported being connected to school, and having strong family
communication were about twice as likely not to experience thoughts of suicide or to
attempt suicide. Youth who reported making responsible choices and having aspirations for the future were more than twice as likely to be engaged in sufficient physical activity in the final year of the study. Youth with good exercise and nutrition habits at the beginning of the study were 1 ½ times more likely not to use drugs and almost twice as likely not to carry weapons four years later. Youth who reported having a positive, non-parental role model at the beginning of the study were 1 ½ to 2 times more likely not to smoke or drink alcohol four years later; and those who participated in organized group activities or sports were 1 ½ times more likely not to use
tobacco or alcohol. Youth whose parents reported monitoring their activities at the beginning of the study were nearly 5 ½ times more likely not to have become sexually active by the final year of the study. Youth who initially reported having educational aspirations for the future were 4 ½ times more likely to always wear a seatbelt four years later.
among youth who were 12-14 years old at the beginning of the study
among youth who were 15-17 years old at the beginning of the study
All reported associations are odds ratios. Youth with at least 3 of the family level assets were more than 5 times more likely not to have become sexually active; and those with at least 2 of the community level assets were almost 8 times more likely not to have become sexually active. Youth with 5 or more individual level assets were twice as likely not to smoke. Youth with 5 to 7 individual level assets were almost 1 ½ times more likely not to drink
alcohol. Youth with at least 3 family level assets were more than 1 ½ times more likely not to use drugs; and those with at least 4 community level assets were more than twice as likely not to use drugs.
compared to youth with 0 or 1 asset
compared to youth with 0 to 4 assets
While the presence of even one asset can have a positive impact on a young person’s life, the results of the Youth Asset Study indicate that the more assets a young person possesses, the better!
In American culture, the transition to adulthood is celebrated as a rite of passage,
but navigating that change is a tough job for many youth in Oklahoma. Focusing
on four areas of adolescent health - physical, mental, social, and financial - the
Youth Asset Study identified assets that can help to ensure successful transition
from youth to adulthood. The more assets youth possess, the more successful they are in transitioning to early
adulthood. Community level and family level assets were particularly strong predictors of a successful transition. FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dr. Roy Oman
College of Public Health
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
P.O. Box 26901
Oklahoma City, OK 73190
Phone: (405) 271-2017 x46752
Email: Roy-Oman@ouhsc.edu
On the web:
www.coph.ouhsc.edu/coph/hps/yas/Home.asp
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
As it turns out, that isn’t just a pretty bit of folk wisdom. Family and community level assets consistently demonstrate the strongest potential to reduce risk and harm to youth. Developing individual level assets certainly gives youth important tools with which to build their present and future; but constructing nurturing environments through family and community connections creates a space in which young people can use those tools to the fullest benefit. Consider the following as possible avenues of action: IDENTIFY & NURTURE THE TALENTS AND INTERESTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE
ENCOURAGE RELATIONSHIPS WITH POSITIVE ROLE MODELS, BOTH ADULT AND PEER
OFFER EXPERIENCES THAT EXPAND YOUNG PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
PROMOTE POSITIVE FAMILY COMMUNICATION
ENCOURAGE GOOD HEALTH PRACTICES
WORK TO CONNECT YOUTH WITH SCHOOL IN POSITIVE
WAYS AND ENCOURAGE EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS
SUPPORT PARENTS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MONITOR
THEIR CHILDREN
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN
ORGANIZED GROUP ACTIVITIES, SPORTS, AND
RELIGIOUS OR FAITH-BASED ACTIVITIES
ENGAGE YOUTH IN SERVICE TO OTHERS
The Youth Asset Study was supported by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Grant Number 5 U01 DP000132 and the Inasmuch Foundation. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or Inasmuch Foundation.
YOUTH ASSET STUDY RESEARCH TEAM:
*Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy Cheryl Aspy Sheila Cavallo LaDonna Marshall* Sharon Rodine* Lindsay Boeckman Janene Fluhr Roy Oman Eleni Tolma Sarah Vesely
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