The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study is a unique cross-national research study into the health and well-being of adolescents across Europe and North America, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe.
Initiated in 1982 by researchers from England, Finland, and Norway, HBSC was one of the first cross-national studies to focus specifically on adolescents. HBSC has been conducting surveys of young people every four years since 1983/84, with an increasing number of countries participating in each survey cycle. It provides a vital resource to compare the health and well-being of adolescents between countries and over time.
The study is organised and developed by a network of HBSC national teams that include researchers based in a variety of academic and public health institutions.
Data are collected in all participating countries through school-based surveys using a standard methodology detailed in the HBSC international study protocol, ensuring that the sample is representative of all in the age range.
HBSC data are used at national/regional and international levels to gain new insights into adolescent health and well-being, understand the social determinants of health and inform policy and practice to improve young people’s lives.
