Healthy Kids Colorado Survey Overview

In 2013 through a collaboration of Colorado’s Departments of Public Health and Environment, Human Services, Education, and Public Safety, as well as the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a committee of over 30 organizations, multiple youth-focused surveys were combined to create The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS). The goal of this unified survey was to increase the efficiency and ease of youth data collection and better provide useful information for schools and agencies throughout Colorado.

The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey can improve the understanding of the health of Colorado’s youth, measure youth health risks, and identify protective factors to improve their health choices.

Purpose

The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey provides data on risky and health-promoting behaviors among Colorado’s youth. The results can then be used to guide and direct programs and interventions to improve the health of the youth.

Methods

The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey is conducted every odd-numbered year. It is completely anonymous, and participation is entirely voluntary. For confidentiality, results are never reported at the individual or classroom level. Schools throughout Colorado with grades 6-12 are randomly selected to participate in the survey. Selected school districts and schools can choose to opt in or out of the survey. Schools that are not randomly selected can also choose to participate.

Students and their parents in the selected classrooms of participating schools will receive a letter informing them about their selection in the survey. Students and their parents can then choose to opt in or out.

Once the selected schools, parents, and their students have voluntarily chosen to participate in the survey, the survey is conducted during a single classroom period determined by school leadership.

All questions on the survey are related to health behaviors and topics that affect the health of the youth. While some questions ask about health risk behaviors (such as substance use), previous research indicates that this does not promote these behaviors in youth that take the survey. Even if students do not participate in these behaviors, it is important to include all students to get a picture of the health needs of youth and evidence indicates that youth tend to answer surveys truthfully.

To find out more about the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, see a copy of the survey or access the data, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website here.

How We Use Data

The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey results provide information about Weld County students, and enables the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment and our partners to:

Plan, evaluate, and improve Weld County community and school programs that prevent health problems and promote healthy behaviors.
Monitor trends in Weld County student health, risk behaviors, and protective factors.
Compare Weld County students with samples of other students.

The data from HKCS also demonstrate need and help fund programs such as:

Tobacco education and cessation programming
Youth injury prevention and safe driving programming
Communities that Care and positive youth development programming

2021 Weld County (Region 18) Community Report Fact Sheets

These data are from a sample of about 2,500 middle and high school students enrolled in Weld County schools participating in the 2021 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey. However, not enough schools or districts participated, meaning these data are not representative of all Weld County school-aged youth.

HKCS Fact Sheet - Mental Health and Social Environment(PDF, 270KB)

HKCS Fact Sheet - Substances, Nutrition, and Physical Health(PDF, 182KB)

2019 Weld County (Region 18) HKCS Key Findings

94% of high school students in Weld County reported not having smoked cigarettes on one or more of the previous 30 days.
32% of high school students in Weld County reported having at least one drink of alcohol on one or more of the previous 30 days.
29% of high school students in Weld County reported using an electronic vapor product in the previous 30 days.
74% of high school students in Weld County reported having an adult to go to for help with a serious problem.
18% of high school students in Weld County reported being bullied on school property during the previous year.
37% of high school students in Weld County reported feeling so sad or hopeless and stopping doing usual activities almost every day for 2+ consecutive weeks during the past 12 months.
88% of high school students in Weld County reported feeling safe at school.
48% of high school students in Weld County reported being physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five or more days in the past week.

To find out more about the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey and see additional 2019 HKCS data for Weld County, visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website here.