MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey

Challenge

A key aspect of promoting adolescent health and well-being at the community level is gathering the necessary local data to determine priorities, inform strategies, and support programs and policies. Since 2006, EDC has promoted data-driven improvements in adolescent physical and mental well-being through its administration of the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey, funded by the MetroWest Health Foundation.

Administered biennially to approximately 40,000 middle and high school youth in 25 communities west of Boston, this voluntary and anonymous survey collects self-reported data on health and risk behaviors, including substance use, bullying, mental health, violence, sexual behavior, and physical activity. It also captures data on emerging and evolving behaviors in the adolescent population, such as social media use, nicotine vaping, and gambling, and it identifies health disparities experienced by groups such as LGBTQ+ youth and youth with disabilities.

Key Activities

As part of this project, EDC’s role includes the following activities:

Administer the biennial MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey. Past surveys were collected biennially from 2006 through 2018 and then in 2021 (delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2023.
Analyze results and share local findings with schools and community partners, who use the results to drive programs and policies
Provide customized technical assistance to schools and communities to maximize their use of local data to inform education, prevention, and intervention efforts, including those to address health disparities and promote equity
Conduct analyses of regional data to inform the field of adolescent health and school health through conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals

Impact

Since 2006, middle school and high school adolescents in 25 communities have completed more than 300,000 surveys about their health and risk behaviors.
The team publishes survey findings, including two 2024 reports highlighting 2023 survey results related to the health and well-being of youth in grades 7–8 and 9–12.
The team shares its findings at national conferences (e.g., the American Public Health Association) and in articles published in periodicals, such as the American Journal of Public Health, Contemporary School Psychology, and Journal of School Health, to help inform adolescent health programs and policies nationwide.
Communities have used survey findings extensively to determine adolescent health priorities, bolster health education and prevention programming, advance local health policies, and engage community members in collective action.
Survey data have informed regional initiatives to address youth substance use, bullying, and mental health, as well as policy changes across the United States related to tobacco use.