**3. Results**

### *3.1. Descriptive Statistics*

A total of 26,163 valid surveys from students in Grades 8, 10, and 12 across 167 schools were received for the 2014 HYS. Non-completion rates of Form B were 17% of Grade 8, 12% of Grade 10, and 9% of Grade 12; and for Form B-enhanced 17% of Grade 8, 14% of Grade 10, and 12% of Grade 12 [12]. A total of 10,456 students in these grades completed Form B or Form B-enhanced and responded to the question: "How often do you wear a life jacket when you're in a small boat like a canoe, raft, or small motorboat?" (Q7)—Of these, 2631 students indicated that they were never on a small boat; 13,120 students responded to the question: "Have you ever taken formal swimming lessons?" (Q5); and 13,095 students responded to the question: "I am comfortable playing and swimming in water over my head" (Q6).

The majority of students in Grade 8 were ages 13 to 14, Grade 10 were ages 15 to 16, and Grade 12 were ages 17 to 18 [8]. The majority of respondents identified as White or Caucasian; English was the primary language spoken in the majority of households (Table 1).


**Table 1.** Demographic characteristics of 2014 HYS Form B/Form B-enhanced Respondents' Life Jacket Wear While Boating, Exposure to Swimming Lessons and Comfort in Deep Water \*\*.

Of the students who answered Q5, 60.4% reported having had formal swimming lessons. Male and female respondents had similar rates (59% versus 61.8%). Those who had had versus not had swimming lessons di ffered greatly in race and ethnicity, language spoken at home and maternal education. Most students who had had swimming lessons were White or Caucasian (60.7%) while those who had not had swimming lessons were non-White or Caucasian (62%), of which Hispanics or Latino/Latinas were the largest group. By race and ethnicity, White or Caucasian respondents had the highest rate (70.6%) of having had swimming lessons, followed by Asian or Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander respondents (58.9%), and Black or African American respondents (49.4%). The lowest rate of swimming lessons (30.9%) was reported by Hispanic or Latino/Latina respondents. Among those whose mothers had had higher education, 75% of students had swimming lessons compared to 43.9% of students whose mothers had less education (*p* < 0.01). Similarly, among those whose primary language at home was English, 65.8% had had swimming lessons compared to only 26.6% of those whose primary language at home was Spanish.

Of the students who had been on small boats, 56.7% reported having worn life jackets. Females' wear rate was higher than males' (59% versus 53.8%). Notably, respondents who reported wearing life jackets versus not wearing them on small boats di ffered in language spoken at home and school grade. Those who reported life jacket wear while boating were more likely to speak English at home (56.6% versus 32.1%, *p* < 0.01). In contrast, respondents who did not wear life jackets were more likely to be Hispanic or Latino/Latina (11.7%) and not speak English at home (18.4%) (Table 1). Life jacket wear while boating decreased as grade level increased. Those who reported usually wearing a life jacket were less likely to be comfortable in water (87.7% versus 92.7%, *p* < 0.01).

Impressively, 86.7% of the responding students reported they were comfortable in deep water (Table 1). Respondents who were comfortable versus were not di ffered in race and ethnicity, maternal education, language spoken at home and grade in school. Those who were comfortable were mostly White or Caucasian (56.6%), spoke English at home (82.2%) and had higher maternal education (58.2%) (Table 1). When evaluated by race and ethnicity, almost all White or Caucasian respondents (92%) reported being comfortable in deep water; Black or African American respondents reported the lowest rates of comfort in deep water (70.3%). The percent comfortable swimming in deep water was highest among 8th graders and decreased with each subsequent grade.

### *3.2. Risk-Taking Behaviors and Risk Factors*

Life jacket wear while boating was negatively associated with several risk-taking behaviors examined (Table 2). Students reporting life jacket wear while boating were less likely to have ever consumed alcohol than non-life jacket wearers (87.1% versus 69.9%, *p* < 0.01); less likely to have ever initiated alcohol use (60.3 versus 37.4%, *p* < 0.01) and if they had, were less likely to have initiated alcohol use at <14 years of age (23.4% versus 37.3%). They were also less likely to have ever had sexual intercourse (24.5% versus 32.2% *p* < 0.01) and less likely to be involved in physical fights (17.7% versus 28.9%, *p* < 0.01) compared to non-life jacket wearers. However, life jacket wearers were less likely to have used condoms than non-wearers (13.7% versus 21.7%, *p* < 0.01). Conversely, life jacket non-wear was associated with most risk-taking behaviors and risk factors examined, including alcohol use, sexual activity, involvement in a physical fight, and texting while driving.

**Table 2.** Risk-taking behaviors, risk and protective factors associated with life jacket use and swimming lessons \*\*.


\*\* Column percentages. \* *p* < 0.01 significant difference among life jacket wearers and non-wearers. + *p* < 0.01 significant difference among formal swimming lessons and no formal swimming lessons.

Students who had had swimming lessons and those who had not di ffered in prevalence of several risk-taking behaviors. Respondents who had swimming lessons were less likely to report initiation of alcohol at a young age (if at all), sexual activity, involvement in a physical fight, and texting while driving.

### *3.3. Protective Factors*

Di fferences in the presence of protective factors were noted between life jacket wearers and non-wearers as well as those with and without a history of swimming lessons (Table 2).

All protective factors were significantly higher in those who wore life jackets and in those who had swimming lessons. Notably, respondents who reported wearing a life jacket when in a small boat were significantly more likely to usually have had dinner with their family than not (68.1% versus, 57.8%, *p* < 0.01). Similarly, those who had swimming lessons versus not were more likely to usually have had dinner with their family (67.0% versus 54.0%, *p* < 0.01). They were more likely to have adult support (70.5% versus 60.1%, *p* < 0.01), feel safe at school (90.1% versus 84.1%, *p* < 0.01), and think about consequences before making decisions (86.2% versus 81.9%, *p* < 0.01).

Those who had had swimming lessons were much more likely to be comfortable swimming in deep water relative to those who had not or were unsure (92.6% versus 77.6%, *p* < 0.01). While large percentages of both life jacket wearers and non-wearers were comfortable in deep water, those comfortable in deep water were less likely to wear a life jacket than to wear one (87.7% versus 92.7%, *p* < 0.01).
