Oregon Student Health Survey (SHS) Data Portal

Getting Started

To get started accessing the data, there are three tabs at the top of the website that will take you to pages where the data are presented that will allow you to look at and analyze survey results in different ways. For a more detailed description of the site functionality, please see the How to Use document.

  • Categories
  • Variables
  • Crosstabs

The Categories page presents questions in the survey grouped by specific categories that align with the categories used in the report: Oregon Student Health Survey. These categories are useful for gaining a better understanding of specific behaviors related to the category. For example, the Substance Use category includes survey questions related to the use of specific substances (alcohol, tobacco products, marijuana, prescription drugs, opioids, illicit drugs), parental and peer norms regarding substance use, perceived risk, access, and impaired driving.

A Variable is a data item or question asked in the survey and is any measurable attribute, characteristic or behavior that can be measured or counted. The Variables page allows you to look at the results of a specific question by itself under each category or group of questions (note that the categories under Variables are more detailed than in the Categories page). For instance, the Adverse Childhood Experiences category on the Variables page allows you to look at the percentage of respondents who said yes to each of the seven questions one-at-a-time.

Crosstabs is short for Cross Tabulations. The Crosstabs page allows you to look at the results of two questions at the same time to see if there is a relationship between the two questions by "crossing" the results. This provides a comparison of how different groups of respondents answered a particular question. For example, you can look at the results of alcohol use by whether or not respondents have been bullied.