The Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire provides a picture of the health beliefs, attitudes and self reported behaviours of young people in Jersey. The questionnaire was carried out with students in primary schools at ages 10-11 years, and in secondary schools at 12-13 years and 14-15 years. A total of 2,842 students completed the survey. The survey questions cover a range of health related topics including family background and home life through to specific health issues such as diet, physical activity, drugs and alcohol, smoking, and emotional health.

The questionnaire has been carried out since 1996 in secondary schools and 1998 in primary schools. This gives a picture of both trends over time in reported health behaviours as well as how the same group of young people change as they become older. Some of the survey questions are also asked in UK schools so we are able to make comparisons between reported health beliefs and behaviours in Jersey with young people in the UK.

This report is structured into subject sections that deal with relevant health issues including: emotional health, diet, obesity, alcohol, illegal drugs, sexual health, smoking and physical activity. Each of these sections gives information on the key findings; why that health issue is of importance and goes onto describe relevant findings, trends over previous surveys and comparisons between ages, gender and young people in the UK.

This survey has been funded by the Building a Safer Society Strategy and will continue to inform States Policy and Strategy such as the Children’s and Young People Framework. The implementation, analysis and reporting of the survey has been managed by the Public Health Department. The survey could also not happen without the support of the Department for Education Sport and Culture, all of the islands schools and the young people that complete the survey. Our thanks also go to Jessica Hounsome, Sheena Renouf and Netta Norris of the Health Intelligence team, as well as Martin Knight and the team of Health Promotion Officers who helped administer the process, draft the report and re-check all the data.

The survey aims to give a comprehensive picture of young people’s health in Jersey. We hope that you find the survey results interesting and informative in guiding your work with young people.