Ohio first conducted the YRBS in 1993 with subsequent surveys in 1995 (unweighted data), 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2005. Through 1999, the survey was administered by the Ohio Department of Education.

In 2001, Ohio did not participate in the YRBS and at that time a decision was made to move the administration of the survey to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). As of 2003, staff in the bureaus of Community Health Services and Systems Development and Health Services Information and Operational Support in the Division of Family and Community Health Services at ODH collaborate to conduct the YRBS in Ohio.

"The survey helps us track how teens in Ohio compare with teens across the country. Because of the prevalence of abstinence only until marriage disinformation programs, the data collected prove that even if you don't talk with teens about sex, they're still going to have sex--with nearly half of all students and nearly two-thirds of 12th graders reporting being sexually active," said PPCO's Director of Education and Training Sandy Hood.

"Planned Parenthood's comprehensive sex education programs begin with abstinence and also include information on birth control so teens know how to protect themselves from diseases and unplanned pregnancies if they choose to be sexually active," she added.

• The number of students in grades 9-12 who are sexually active is up 6.1% from 2003 to 47.8%, including an 8.6% increase for males to 40.4%. The 2003 levels were 10-year lows for teen sexual activity levels.

• By grade, there are 12.8% more sexually active 10th graders from 2003 to 2005 (an increase from 33.6% to 46.6%), and 8.7% more 12th graders (from 56.1% to 64.8%). The number of sexually active 9th graders dropped 1.5% between 2003-2005 (from 29.4% to 27.9%)

• More than one-third of students, 36.4%, report having sexual intercourse within the past three months, including 54.9% of 12 graders, 39.7% of 11th graders and 34.6% of 10th graders. The overall number of teens recently having sexual intercourse are higher than 2003 and 1999 levels.

• The number of students who report being sexually active before the age of 13 dropped to 5.3% between 2003 and 2005; and it has dropped cumulatively 6% since 1993 from 11.3%.

Sex, Drugs, & Alcohol

• Of concern is the number of students who drink alcohol or take drugs before sex--22.7%. The number is highest among 9th graders--24.9% consume alcohol or drugs before intercourse. When looked at by gender, more than a quarter of males--26.4%--and nearly one fifth of females, 18.9%, use alcohol or drugs before sex. These numbers are a slight increase from 2003, although they are lower than the high of 29.6% in 1999.

Multiple Partners

• The number of students reporting four or more sexual partners increased to 16.9% in 2005, an increase from 2003. The highest numbers are among 12th graders, with 31.6% reporting having four or more partners.

Levels of Abstinence

• The number of students who report being abstinent and not engaging in sexual intercourse in the past three months in 24.2%. The levels of abstinence among 11 and 12th graders is down from 2003 levels, it remained steady among 9th graders and is up slightly among 10th graders.

Birth Control Use

• Teens are using birth control--with almost two-thirds, 61.7%, of students used condoms when they've had intercourse in the past three months. This includes 77.5% of 9th graders of both sexes; and 62.8% of males at all grade levels. However condom use among males is down from a high of 67.9% in 2003.

• Birth control pills are the second most reported used method of birth control with 20% of students reporting using the Pill to prevent pregnancy.