Survey

2022 SHS Data Not Directly Comparable to 2020 SHS Results

As part of our continued efforts to modernize the survey, we began implementing community partner recommendations to improve the survey starting with the 2022 SHS. One recommended change was to include the following additional response categories for every question in 2022:

• I am not sure
• I don’t know what this question is asking
• I prefer not to answer

The following example highlights the difference in the questions in 2020 compared with 2022:

The inclusion of these three additional response categories impacts the denominator and resulting percentages so that 2022 results are not strictly comparable to the 2020 SHS results. You can still access the 2020 SHS data through this portal, but keep in mind that this impacts the ability to look at trends.

Methodology

The SHS is a comprehensive, school-based, anonymous and voluntary health survey of 6th, 8th and 11th graders that is administered in the fall of even-numbered years. It is a key part of statewide efforts to help local schools and communities ensure that all Oregon youth are healthy and successful learners.

The 2022 SHS was designed to be administered online to 6th, 8th and 11th graders statewide in one classroom period to provide state- and county-level estimates. The sampling frame is based on the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Fall Membership Report for 2020-2021and consists of public schools in Oregon with 6th, 8th and 11th grade enrollment of at least 10 students within the grade.

The sampling frame is based on the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Fall Membership Report for 2020-2021and consists of public schools in Oregon with 6th, 8th and 11th grade enrollment of at least 10 students within the grade. The following types of state-run schools and those with no associated school district were excluded from the sampling frame:

• Juvenile justice facilities
• Treatment facilities
• Boarding schools

Participation is Voluntary and Highly Encouraged

The SHS is not mandatory. Because the survey covers a comprehensive range of health-related topics, some of the questions can be considered sensitive. There are opportunities for districts, parents/guardians and students to choose whether or not to participate.

SHS uses an active notification/passive consent model for the survey. Once district approval is received, schools send Parental Notification letters to parents and guardians at least two weeks prior to survey administration to inform them of the upcoming survey and provide an opportunity to opt their student out of the survey. The parent letters were available in English, Spanish, Russian, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese and Somali. Students can also choose to opt themselves out of the survey or to skip over any question they do not want to answer.

Nearly 46,000 6th, 8th and 11th graders participated in the 2022 SHS.

Participating Districts by County

A total of 85 districts in 29 counties chose to administer the 2022 SHS.