SHARP survey looks at mental health, other student concerns

North Sanpete students reported higher rates of seriously considering suicide and on some measures of social isolation than students across the broader Central Utah region in the 2025 Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey.

Among North Sanpete School District students surveyed in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12, 14.1 percent said they had seriously considered suicide during the previous year. The comparable 2025 figure was 11.5 percent across Central Utah and 12.6 percent statewide.

North Sanpete’s results also point to a student reluctance to seek help. Among students who reported feeling very sad, hopeless or suicidal, 40.4 percent said they did not talk to anyone about those feelings. The comparable figure was 27.3 percent across Central Utah and 38.8 percent statewide.

The district’s results on “belonging” showed a similar pattern. In North Sanpete, 20.6 percent of students said they had often or always felt left out during the previous seven days, while 18 percent said they often or always felt isolated from other people.

Across Central Utah, 19.9 percent reported often or always feeling left out and 17.3 percent reported feeling isolated. Statewide, those figures were 18.4 percent and 17.4 percent, respectively.

The figures are weighted percentages describing groups of students, not individual children. The North Sanpete summary does not establish that differences of a few percentage points between North Sanpete, Central Utah and statewide results are statistically significant.

The SHARP survey examines student mental health, substance use, school climate and safety, physical health, screen use and factors associated with risk and protection. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services conducted the survey in spring 2025 among students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12.

The Central Utah report included responses from 2,622 students. Statewide, 39 school districts, 16 charter schools and one private school participated.

Regional results, which come from six counties, are useful in making comparisons but they cannot substitute for individual school district data.

The Messenger requested South Sanpete School District’s district-level SHARP results, but the district was unwilling to provide them. As a result, the Messenger cannot report on the social welfare status of South Sanpete students or give comparisons between the North Sanpete and South Sanpete school districts.

Regional mental health measures improve

Central Utah results show improvement in several mental health measures from 2023 to 2025. The North Sanpete figures do not provide survey-to-survey comparatives.

The percentage of Central Utah students who said they seriously considered suicide during the previous 12 months declined from 14.9 percent in 2023 to 11.5 percent in 2025. The statewide rate in 2025 was 12.6 percent.

The percentage of Central Utah students who reported making a suicide plan declined from 11.5 percent to 7.6 percent. The statewide 2025 figure was 9.5 percent.

Reported suicide attempts also declined in Central Utah, from 5.5 percent in 2023 to 5 percent in 2025. Statewide, 5.6 percent of students reported at least one suicide attempt during the previous 12 months.

Purposeful self-harm without suicidal intent declined from 17 percent of Central Utah students in 2023 to 15.8 percent in 2025. The statewide rate was 18.2 percent.

The survey also showed a decline in the percentage of Central Utah students classified as having high depressive symptoms. That figure fell from 8.4 percent in 2023 to 4 percent in 2025, compared with 5 percent statewide in 2025.

Help-seeking remained an issue for some students. Among Central Utah students who had felt very sad, hopeless or suicidal, 27.3 percent said they did not talk to anyone about those feelings.

Central Utah substance-use rates below state figures

North Sanpete reported that 4 percent of surveyed students in grades 8, 10 and 12 had used alcohol during the previous 30 days, while 3.1 percent had used a vape product.

The North Sanpete Cares Coalition identified underage alcohol use and isolation as primary concerns based on the local results. It also identified parental attitudes favorable toward substance use and availability of alcohol as risk factors.

Across Central Utah, 2.9 percent of surveyed students reported alcohol use during the previous 30 days in 2025, compared with 3.8 percent statewide.

Past-month marijuana use was reported by 2 percent of Central Utah students, compared with 2.9 percent statewide.

Vaping also declined across Central Utah. About 2.5 percent of students reported past-month vaping in 2025, down from 4.4 percent in 2023 and 7.2 percent in 2021. The statewide 2025 rate was 3.5 percent.

North Sanpete figures on substance use are not comparable with Central Utah results because North Sanpete reported responses for grades 8, 10 and 12 combined, while the Central Utah figures captured all grades, including sixth-graders.

Sleep and screen use remain concerns

North Sanpete students also reported high levels of screen use and limited sleep.

Only 39.1 percent said they received at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night. Meanwhile, 78.4 percent reported spending at least two hours each school day using screens for activities unrelated to schoolwork.

Across Central Utah, 41 percent of students reported getting at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night, compared with 39.2 percent statewide.

About 72.4 percent of Central Utah students reported two or more hours of non-school screen time on a school day. The statewide figure was 79.5 percent.

The Central Utah report also found that 61.7 percent of students ate at least one family meal five or more times during a typical week, compared with 60 percent statewide.

The North Sanpete Cares Coalition, an organization of local people in health, mental health, education and related fields, identified community and neighborhood attachment, recognition and inclusion as protective factors.

The coalition recommends that families spend regular time connecting with children; share meals when possible; set clear expectations regarding alcohol, screens and sleep; and listen when young people ask for help.

Students or families needing immediate mental health support can call or text 988 or use SafeUT.