New York

Please be sure to read the data notes & limitations page. This explains many aspects of these comments, including how only changes over time can be discussed as statistically significant, and why the comparisons with national rates discuss data for selected subgroups.

Overview of Findings

Findings for New York are largely positive. Rates decreased for overall mortality and mortality due to motor vehicle crashes, homicide and suicide, as well as physical fighting, weapon carrying, binge drinking, and tobacco use. Use of safety belts increased. Rates remained flat for marijuana use, suicide attempts requiring medical attention, sexual experience, current sexual activity, and condom use.

New York fared better than the nation on most objectives including, overall and mortality due to motor vehicle crashed, homicide, and suicide, as well as physical fighting weapon carrying, sexual experience, current sexual activity, condom use and tobacco use. The state’s rates compared unfavorably to national rates of safety belt use and suicide attempts requiring medical attention.

Highlights of Findings by Objective

Jump To: Mortality; Unintentional Injury; Violence; Substance Use and Mental Health; Reproductive Health; Chronic Disease Prevention

Mortality

The rate of overall mortality in New York decreased from baseline for younger and older adolescents, and young adults. Rates decreased for most groups, with an especially large decrease among Black young adult males. A notable exception was a moderate increase among Asian/Pacific Islander young adults. In 2007, males had much higher rates than females; this gender gap was almost three-fold among young adults. Across the all the age groups, Blacks had the highest rates; Hispanics had the second highest rate and were closely followed by Whites. Among young adults, Asians had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. National rates of adolescent mortality also declined from baseline for younger and older adolescents; however a national increase in young adult mortality stands in contrast the decrease for that group in New York. In 2007, the overall mortality rates in New York were substantially lower than the national rates.  The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns largely matched patterns noted for New York.

Unintentional Injury

(motor vehicle crashes, safety belt use)

Please note the data for safety belt use are presented as “not wearing safety belt,” the inverse of the objective. This text describes safety belt use.

Adolescent mortality in New York due to motor vehicle crashes decreased from baseline. Rates decreased for most groups, with the exception of Hispanics whose rate increased slightly. In 2007, males had more than twice the rate of females. Whites had the highest rates of motor vehicle crash mortality; Blacks and Hispanics had lower, virtually matching rates.

Comparison with national data. National adolescent motor vehicle crash mortality was mostly flat from baseline, compared to a decrease in New York. As in New York, the rate increased slightly among Hispanics. In 2007, the overall rate of motor vehicle crash mortality in New York was about half the national rate. As in New York, males had a much higher rate than females nationally. Also similar to New York, Whites had the highest rate nationally. However, the national rate for Hispanics was higher than the rate for Blacks, in contrast to matching rates for these groups in New York.

Rates of safety belt use in New York increased moderately from baseline. In 2009, females had higher rates of safety belt use than males. Adolescents of multiple races and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders had roughly matching rates, the highest rates among racial/ethnic groups; they were followed by Whites, then by Blacks and Asians, who had similar rates; Hispanics had the next highest rate and Native Americans had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of safety belt use also increased from baseline. In 2009, the overall rate of safety belt use for New York was lower than the national rate; the New York rates for Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans were much lower than national rates for those groups. As in New York, females had higher rates than males nationally. The national racial/ethnic pattern differed from the pattern in New York, and differences between groups were very small compared to New York.

Violence

(homicide, physical fighting, weapon carrying)

Homicide rates decreased slightly among older adolescents; in 2007, Black older adolescents had three time the rate of Hispanics in that age group overall; a similar racial/ethnic gap was seen among Black males and Hispanic males in that age group. Rates for other groups were based on less than 20 deaths; because these rates are unstable, no other comparisons could be made.

Comparison with national data. The national homicide rate among older adolescents was flat from baseline, in contrast to a small decrease in New York. A small national increase among Black males contrasts with the decrease noted for that group in New York. In 2007, New York rates of homicide mortality were lower than national rates, overall and among groups for whom data were available.

New York rates of physical fighting decreased from baseline, with a particularly large, significant decrease among White males and females. In 2009, males had a much higher rate of physical fighting than females. Native Americans had by far the highest rate of physical fighting; Blacks and Hispanics had the next highest, virtually matching rates; they were followed by adolescents of multiple races, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders who had similar rates; Whites had the next highest rate, followed by Asians.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of physical fighting also decreased from baseline. In 2009 New York’s rate of physical fighting was very similar to the national rate; however, the rate among Native Americans in New York was much higher than the national rate for that group. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched the patterns noted for New York.

The overall rate of weapon carrying among adolescents in New York decreased from baseline, with large, significant decreases among Asians and Blacks. In 2009, the rate among males was more than three times the rate among females. Native Americans had by far the highest rate, twice the rate of Hispanics, the second highest group; Whites and Blacks followed with matching rates; adolescents of multiple races had the next highest rate, followed by Asians and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of weapon carrying was flat from baseline compared to a decrease in New York. In 2009, the New York rate was lower than the national rate; however the rate among Native Americans in New York was much higher than the national rate for that group. The national gender pattern roughly matched the pattern noted for New York. The national racial/ethnic pattern differed from the pattern in New York and differences between groups were very small compared to New York.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

(binge drinking, marijuana use, suicide, suicide attempts requiring medical attention)

The rate of binge drinking in New York decreased from baseline, overall and for males and females. In 2009, males had higher rates of binge drinking than females. Native Americans had by far the highest rate, followed by adolescents of multiple races, Whites, Hispanics, with these three groups having very similar rates. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders had the next highest rate, followed by Blacks and then Asians.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of adolescent binge drinking was essentially flat from baseline compared to a decrease in New York. Nationally, males and females had roughly matching rates, in contrast to a larger rate among males in New York. The national racial/ethnic pattern also differed from the pattern in New York. Nationally, Native Americans had the highest rate, followed by Whites, Hispanics, adolescents of multiple races, and Asians; Blacks had the lowest rate.

Rates of marijuana use in New York did not change significantly from baseline overall, although females overall had a significant decrease, as did Whites overall and White females. In 2009, males had a higher rate than females. Native Americans had by far the highest rate; Hispanics had the next highest rate, followed by adolescents of multiple races, Whites and Blacks, with these three groups having virtually matching rates; they were followed by Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders; Asians had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. Rates of marijuana use decreased slightly nationally, in contrast to no change in New York. As in New York, males had a higher rate than females nationally.  The national racial/ethnic pattern differed somewhat from the pattern in New York. Nationally, Native Americans had the highest rate, followed by Whites, adolescent of multiple races, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians.

The rate of suicide in New York among older adolescents decreased slightly from baseline; rates also decreased for Whites, including males, in that age group. Rates for other groups were based on fewer than 20 deaths; thus were unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. The national suicide rate for older adolescents was flat from baseline. In 2007, the suicide rate in New York was lower than the national rate.

The rate of suicide attempts in New York requiring medical attention was flat from baseline. In 2009, the males and females had similar rates. Hispanic adolescents had the highest rate, followed by Blacks and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders, who had matching rates; adolescents of multiple races had the next highest rate, followed by Asians and Whites, who also had matching rates; Asians and Native Americans had the lowest rates. Racial/ethnic differences were very small.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of adolescent suicide attempts requiring medical attention decreased from baseline, in contrast to a flat rate in New York. In 2009, New York had a slightly higher rate than the national rate. Nationally, females had slightly higher rates than males, compared to more equal rates in New York. As in New York, racial/ethnic differences were very small. Unlike New York, adolescents of multiple races had the highest rate, followed by Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Whites and Asians.

Reproductive Health

(sexual inexperience, no current sexual activity, condom use)

Please note, for the first two objectives, the text and tables present findings about adolescents who are sexually experienced and currently sexually active, the inverse of the actual objective. For the third objective, the table presents findings for lack of condom use, the inverse of the objective. The text describes condom use. (See Data Notes & Limitations).

The overall rate of adolescents in New York having engaged in sexual intercourse was flat from baseline, overall and among most subgroups. Notable exceptions include significant large declines among Black males and Hispanic males. In 2009, males had a higher rate of sexual experience than females. Native Americans and adolescents of multiple races had matching rates, the highest among racial/ethnic groups. They were followed by Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites; Asians followed with much lower rates and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders had the lowest rate of sexual experience.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of sexually experienced adolescents was also flat from baseline. In 2009, the overall rate for New York was slightly lower than the national rate. Nationally, males and females had matching rates, in contrast to higher rates among males in New York. The national racial/ethnic pattern largely matched the pattern noted for New York, except that Blacks had a higher rate than Native Americans nationally, the reverse of the pattern noted in New York.

The rate of sexually experienced adolescents in New York reporting current sexual activity was flat from baseline. In 2009, males had higher rates of current sexual activity than females. Native Americans and adolescents of multiple races had matching rates, the highest among racial/ethnic groups; they were followed by Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites; Asians and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders had similar rates, by far the lowest among racial/ethnic groups.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of currently sexually active adolescents was also flat from baseline. In 2009 New York rate was slightly higher than the national rate. Females had a higher rate than males nationally, the reverse of the pattern noted for New York. Unlike New York, Blacks had the highest rate, followed by Native Americans; the next highest rates were among Hispanics, adolescents of multiple races, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders and Whites, with these four groups having very similar rates. Asians had the lowest rate nationally.

Rates of adolescent condom use in New York did not change significantly from baseline overall and for most subgroups; a notable exception was a large, significant increase among White females. In 2009, males and females had similar rates. Whites had the highest rate of condom use, followed by Blacks and then Hispanics.

Comparison with national data. National rates of condom use were also flat from baseline; also similar to New York, the rate for White females increased significantly. In 2009, the overall rate of condom use for New York was higher than the national rate. Males had a higher rate than females nationally, unlike the similar rates in New York. As in New York, Hispanics had the lowest rate of condom use. Blacks and Whites had matching rates nationally, in contrast to higher rates among Whites noted for New York.

Chronic Disease Prevention

(tobacco use)

Tobacco use in New York decreased substantially from baseline overall and across most subgroups. In 2009, males had higher rates of tobacco use than females. Native Americans had the highest rate, followed by adolescents of multiple races, Hispanics and Whites, with small differences among these three groups; Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders had the next highest rate; Blacks and Asians had similar rates, the lowest among racial/ethnic groups.

Comparison with national data. National rates of tobacco use also declined substantially from baseline. In 2009, the New York rate of tobacco use was lower than the national rate. As in New York, males had a higher rate than females nationally. Also similar to New York, Native Americans had the highest rate nationally, and Blacks and Asians had the lowest rates. Unlike New York, the national rate among Blacks was somewhat higher than the rate for Asians. Also unlike New York, Whites had the second highest rates, followed by Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders and adolescents of multiple races, who had similar rates, then Hispanics.

Additional data may be available at: https://a816-healthpsi.nyc.gov/epiquery/EpiQuery/