Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC)

Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) is a crossnational research study conducted in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The study aims to gain new insight into, and increase our understanding of young people’s health and well-being, health behaviours and their social context. In addition, the findings from the HBSC surveys are used to inform and influence children’s policy and practice at national and international levels. HBSC was initiated in 1982. HBSC 2022 involves more than 200,000 children from 51 countries and regions across Europe and North America.

Purpose: To increase understanding of young people's health and well-being and to use the findings to inform and influence health promotion policy and practice at national and international levels.

The sample frame includes all schools in Ireland with pupils from 3-6th class in primary schools and 1st-pre-leaving certificate in post-primary schools. Schools with only junior classes or only leaving certificate classes are not sampled.

Coverage: The target age groups for the HBSC study are 11, 13 and 15 year olds attending school. These age groups represent the onset of adolescence, the challenge of physical and emotional changes, and the middle years when important life and career decisions are beginning to be made. HBSC Ireland colle