Patterns of Health-Compromising Behaviors Among Minnesota Adolescents: Sociodemographic Variations

This study included 123,132 students (50.1% boys, 49.9% girls) who completed the Minnesota Student Survey. The ethnic breakdown was 2.3% American Indian, 1.4% African American, 1.1% Hispanic, 2.4% Asian American, 87% white,and 6.5% mixed/other/unknown. Among adolescents in 9th grade and 12th grade, gender differences were apparent, with more girls than boys reporting suicide attempts. The older girls reported more suicide attempts than the younger ones; this age effect was not seen in boys.