School Health Profiles

The School Health Profiles assists state and local education and health agencies in monitoring and assessing characteristics of school health education; physical education; school health policies related to HIV infection/AIDS, tobacco-use prevention, and nutrition; asthma management activities; and family and community involvement in school health programs. Data from Profiles can be used to improve school health programs.

• Utah School Health Profiles 2010 Summary
• Utah vs. U.S. 2010 data – see how Utah compares to the rest of the nation
• U.S. School Health Profiles 2010 Report
• News Release

Highlights

• 77.1% of Utah schools required participation in an assistance, education, or cessation program when students were caught smoking cigarettes, compared to 26.1% nationally. The Ending Nicotine Dependence (END) class is available for youth through Utah’s 12 local health departments.
• 46.9% of Utah schools prohibited advertising and promotion of candy, fast food restaurants, or soft drinks in all locations. This is similar to the national percentage of 49.1%.
• 91.7% of Utah schools sold less healthy foods and beverages outside the school food service programs, compared to 61.6% nationally. Information about nutritional standards for foods in schools can be found at CDC.
• 43.5% of Utah schools did not exempt students from taking required physical education for certain reasons, compared to 65.4% nationally.
• 49.8% of Utah schools have an asthma action plan on file for all students with asthma, compared to 58.5% nationally. About 63,000 Utah children 17 years of age and under under currently have asthma.
• 45.3% of Utah schools have a policy permitting students to carry and self-administer asthma medications, compared to 73.9% nationally. Utah law allows children to carry their inhaler with them if the proper forms are filled out every year.

The Profiles questionnaires were developed by the Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with representatives of state, local, and territorial departments of health and education.