Lincoln, NE developed 132 performance indicators to measure the City’s progress toward the 39 goals in the eight outcome areas. On its Taking Charge website, the city displays justification and support for each performance measure and describes the strategy to achieve each goal.

Outcome Area: Healthy & Productive People

Goal 1: Maintain community’s health status

Source: Lincoln’s Taking Charge Performance Indicators

About this measure: This measure indicates the rate of self-reported smoking in samples of students in grades 9-12 voluntarily participating in the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS). LLCHD conducts the YRBS every other year in Lincoln and Lancaster County high schools; the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services conducts the YRBS every other year in high schools across the state.

Why this is important: More than 80% of adult smokers began smoking before 18 years of age. Every year 2,000 youth in Nebraska under age 18 become new daily smokers. If current smoking trends continue, 36,000 children and youth now alive in Nebraska will likely die prematurely from smoking related illnesses. Preventing youth from starting to use tobacco is far more effective than helping them break the addictive behavior.

What is being done: Youth continue to experiment with tobacco in succumbing to peer-pressure, tobacco advertising, and emulating negative behavior of adult role models. LLCHD, TFLC, City departments and community partners strive to prevent initiation of tobacco use and reduce current rates of youth tobacco use by:

• Monitoring retailer compliance of illegal sales of tobacco products to minors
• Educating youth on the dangerous consequences of tobacco use
• Educating youth on the impact of tobacco advertising
• Assist youth sports organizations in establishing tobacco-free policies
• Promote tobacco free environments
• Utilizing peer support to prevent tobacco initiation