SHARP survey: Summit County students show mixed trends — vaping and older‑grade substance use higher, some mental‑health indicators improve

Mary Johnston, project manager for the Utah SHARP (Student Health and Risk Prevention) survey, and Pamela Bello, Summit County Director of Prevention, presented county‑level results from the 2023 administration of the SHARP student survey.

Johnston explained the survey methods: active parent opt‑in, IRB oversight, anonymous responses and data weighting to improve representativeness. She said participation improved from 2021 levels and the county reached a broader demographic mix, though participation rates vary by grade and school.

Key findings summarized to the board included: substance‑use trends where alcohol remains prominent in certain grades and marijuana and vaping show differing patterns; new questionnaire items in 2023 disaggregate vaping by substance (nicotine vs marijuana) and showed a marked increase in marijuana vaping among 12th graders, in some measures above the national average. Johnston said the county’s vaping data were "really exciting" because they provide more granular insight into what students are vaping.

Mental‑health data presented mixed signals: while some suicide‑ideation measures have flattened or improved for older grades, Johnston highlighted that sixth grade showed incremental increases in ideation over several administrations and described sixth grade as "the year" for attention and prevention work. The county also reported improvements in help‑seeking behavior for students struggling with mental health, including increased contact with therapists and school counselors since 2021.

Presenters emphasized that the SHARP web tool allows local agencies and schools to explore the results and that county staff plan stronger parent communications and more digestible summaries for public consumption. Board members encouraged staff to post the presentation and a link for reporters and the public to access the county results.