Improving Adolescent Health: Translating Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Evidence Into Policy

Abstract

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study has informed the development and implementation of policy for children and adolescents for over three decades. The growing recognition that adolescence is a critical period for later health and well-being has highlighted the need for, and importance of timely and accurate data. Every 4 years, the HBSC study provides evidence on health behaviors, health outcomes, and social environments of boys and girls across Europe and North America. To maximize the impact of evidence, the HBSC study has a working Policy Development Group that cultivates relationships with key stakeholders, disseminates widely HBSC research, and facilitates discussion and cross-fertilization of ideas and priorities. To date, HBSC data have been central to health promotion efforts and developments in practice, policy, and legislation at both national and international levels. National Policy ImpactNational governments and other national stakeholders have used HBSC data to identify priority areas for adolescent health, set targets for health improvement, and monitor the impact of policies and programs. This has led to system changes and targeted policy actions in areas of primary public health concerns such as substance use, healthy lifestyles, and adolescent health and well-being. Delivering system change in WalesConflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Disclaimer: This supplement was supported by the World Health Organization European Office and the University of Glasgow. The articles have been peerreviewed and edited by the editorial staff of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The opinions or views expressed in this supplement are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funder. MWW is a WHO staff member. The views expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect the positions and policies of the World Health Organization.

Mobilizing governments and society to combat obesity: Reflections on how data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative are helping to drive policy progress

“…6,7 Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, for example, enabled priority areas for action on adolescent health to be identified and led to system changes and targeted policy actions in areas including substance use and healthy lifestyles. 8 To meet the need for standardized surveillance data on children's weight status, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and 13 Member States established the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in 2007. 9 In September 2020, the WHO Regional Committee for Europe endorsed a new European Programme of Work (EPW) for the period 2020-2025, proposing a vision for WHO's work in Europe that focuses on united action for better health.…”

New Findings From the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey: Social Media, Social Determinants, and Mental Health

“…The HBSC has informed national and international policy related to adolescent health for over three decades, with specific examples outlined in a commentary by Budisavljevic et al [13]. This supplement issue highlights novel findings from the latest HBSC 2017e2018 survey, using data from 45 countries across Europe and North America.…”

“…The [6,10e12]. The final commentary by Budisavljevic et al [13] demonstrates the critical importance of how data can drive policy and encourage investment in the early adolescence phase of life course development.…”

Improving the health of adolescents: the Nordic countries can help fill the evidence gap

“…For the adolescent population, this includes the WHO Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study [27] and the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) [28]. These are important monitoring tools, and data from them are seen as highly relevant for national policy planning [29]. These studies have only seen limited use as a platform for evaluating policy efforts, but they provide valid, comparable research instruments available in the Nordic languages that can easily be adopted for use in evaluation studies, and data that may be linked to relevant registries (subject to the relevant consents).…”