2014 study

Trends in Health Behaviours, Health Outcomes and Contextual Factors between 1998-2014.

The HBSC Ireland report Trends in Health Behaviours, Health Outcomes and Contextual Factors between 1998-2014: findings from the Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study  was launched on 30 May 2017 by Deputy Marcella Corcran Kennedy T.D., Minister of State for Health Promotion at the Department of Health.

The report explores the trends in the health and wellbeing of children in Ireland between 1998 and 2014. To date, HBSC Ireland has collected data from 49,268 school-aged children aged 10-17 years across the Republic of Ireland. The report describes the self-reported health status of children in Ireland over time in relation to key indicators: health behaviours, health outcomes and the contexts of their lives. Internationally comparable trends data are also included.

Download the report:
Keane, E., Gavin, A., Perry, C., Molcho, M., Kelly, C. & Nic Gabhainn, S. (2017). Trends in Health Behaviours, Health Outcomes and Contextual Factors between 1998-2014: findings from the Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Dublin: Department of Health & Galway: Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway. download (3.01MB)

Download a copy of the presentation given by Professor Saoirse Nic Gabhainn at the launch download (2.85MB)

View the short video highlighting aspects of the report https://www.facebook.com/nuigalway/videos/10154957303399079/

2014 Factsheets

2014 factsheets are available to download:

• Smoking behaviour among schoolchildren in Ireland. download (457KB)
• Drunkenness among schoolchildren in Ireland. download (424KB)
• Dieting behaviour among schoolchildren in Ireland. download (427KB)‌
• Exercise among schoolchildren in Ireland. download (435KB)
• Sexual behaviour among schoolchildren in Ireland. download (464KB)

These factsheets comprise two page summaries of some of the key findings from the most recent HBSC survey.

See the HBSC International website http://www.hbsc.org/ for more HBSC International publications.

2014 HBSC international report: Growing up unequal: gender and socioeconomic differences in young people's health and well-being published

The HBSC international report from the 2013/2014 survey is now available. The report Growing up unequal: gender and socioeconomic differences in young people's health and well-being provides data from 42 countries in Europe and North America. Findings are presented on the demographic and social influences on the health of almost 220,000 young people.

The cross-national survey covers diverse aspects of adolescent health and social behaviour, including self-assessment of mental health; obesity and body image; dietary habits; engagement in physical activity; support from families and peers; tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use; and bullying.

This report has a special focus on the effects of gender and socioeconomic differences on the way that young people grow and develop. Responding to the survey, young people described their social context (relations with family, peers and school), health outcomes (subjective health, injuries, obesity and mental health), health behaviour (patterns of eating, tooth brushing and physical activity) and risk behaviours (use of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, sexual behaviour, fighting and bullying). For the first time, the HBSC report also includes items on family and peer support, migration, cyberbullying and serious injuries.

Data presented in this report can be accessed at the WHO European Health Information Gateway and via the WHO European health statistics application for iOS and Android devices. 

Further information can be found on the WHO/Europe website 

International Factsheets

WHO Europe have published a new Fact Sheet on adolescent sexual health based on the 2013/2014 HBSC data. The Fact Sheet presents key facts and figures from the 2013/2014 survey along with a comparison to the 2009/2010 survey.

The Sexual Health Fact Sheet is available in English and Russian from the WHO Europe website.

International Fact Sheets from the 2013/2014 survey are also available for the following topics:

Alcohol                                       Bullying and Physical Fights              Dietary Habits      

Mental Well-being                     Physical Activity                                 Tobacco

These Fact Sheets are available to download in various languages from the WHO Europe website.

In addition to the national and international reports HBSC Ireland 2014 data has been used in the following government and other health organisations reports: 

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth:
Better Outcomes Brighter Futures. The national policy framework for children and young people 2014-2020. Annual report for the final year of implementation. January - December 2020. download
Environmental Analysis: A review of relevant literature and data to inform the development of the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018-2020. download
Growing Up in Ireland. Design, Instrumentation and Procedures for Cohort ’98 at 17/18 years of age. Technical Series Number 2019-5. download 
Growing Up in Ireland. Design, instrumentation and procedures for cohort ’08 of Growing up in Ireland at 9 years old (wave 5). download
Growing Up in Ireland. The lives of 17/18-year-olds. download
Growing Up in Ireland: To School and Beyond — Review of the Literature on Selected Issues Pertaining to the Infant Cohort at 5 Years. download
State of the Nation's Children Report: Ireland 2016 download
State of the Nation's Children: Key Findings Ireland 2016 download 
Statistical Spotlight #4 Young Travellers in Ireland download Data Sheet: Young Travellers in Ireland download

Department of Health:
A healthy weight for Ireland: obesity policy and action plan 2016-2025. download
Department of Health, Annual Report 2017. download
ESPAD 2015: European School Survey Project on Alcohol & Other Drugs in Ireland. download
Health in Ireland, Key Trends 2017.  download
Health in Ireland Key Trends 2015 download
Introducing a tax on sugar sweetened drinks: health rationale, options and recommendations. A Department of Health working paper October 2016. download
Smile Agus Sláinte national oral health policy. download
Tobacco Free Ireland, Annual Report 2019. download
Tobacco Free Ireland Annual Report 2018. download
Tobacco Free Ireland, Annual Report 2017. download

European Union:
Calorie consumption and physical activity engagement: patterns and trends in Europe. Review of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity – Objective B1: A comprehensive review of the scientific evidence about the source of calories consumed and types and frequency of physical activity among Europeans. Summary Report. download
ESPAD Report 2019: Results from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. download
Final Assessment of the EU Drugs Strategy 2013 – 2020 and the EU Action Plan on Drugs 2017 – 2020. Annexes. download
Fruit juices, sugar sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages: consumption patterns and impact on overweight and obesity – Review of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity-Objective B2: Consumption, energy intake and impact of fruit juices and of artificially and sugar sweetened beverages, summary report. download
Review of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity – Objective B1: A comprehensive review of the scientific evidence about the source of calories consumed and types and frequency of physical activity among Europeans. download 
Reviews of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity. Objective B2: Consumption, energy intake and impact of fruit juices and of artificially and sugar sweetened beverages. download 
Reviews of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity – Objective area C – A comprehensive review of the scientific evidence on the effect of overweight/obesity and/or inadequate physical activity on school or work performance. download 
Reviews of scientific evidence and policies on nutrition and physical activity – Objective area D – Early warning indicators. download
Situation of young people in the European Union – Commission staff working document. download 
Supporting the mid-term evaluation of the EU action plan on childhood obesity – The childhood obesity study. download 

Federal Centre for Health Education BZgA:
Sexuality Education in Europe and Central Asia. State of the art and recent developments: An overview of 25 countries. download.
Sexuality Education in the WHO European Region. Ireland. download.
Sexuality education in the WHO European Region. Regional overview of the status of Sexuality Education in 25 countries of the WHO European Region. download.

Government of Ireland:
Growing up in Ireland National Longitudinal Study of Children: The Lives of 13-Year-Olds. download
Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework. The national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in Ireland. download
Healthy Lifestyles – Have Your Say: a consultation with children and young people. Dublin: Government Publications. download
National Physical Activity Plan. Implementation summary 2020. download
Health Service Executive:
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018: Improving People’s Health and Wellbeing. download
Children’s Hospital Group Operational Plan: Healthier children and young people throughout Ireland 2018. download
Healthy Ireland implementation plan 2018-2023. download
Healthy Weight for Children (0-6 years) Framework November 2018. download
HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme. End of year report 2020. download 
HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme. End of year report 2018. download
Implementation Plan 2018-2021. Tobacco Free Ireland Programme. download
National Men’s Health Action Plan Healthy Ireland – Men HI-M 2017-2021: working with men in Ireland to achieve optimum health and wellbeing. Dublin: Health Service Executive. download
Planning for Health: Trends and priorities to inform health service planning 2017. download 
Sexual Health in Ireland: What do we know?. download
Sexual Health and Sexuality Education Needs Assessment of Young People in Care in Ireland (SENYPIC): The perspectives of care leavers: a qualitative analysis. download
The State of Tobacco Control in Ireland. download
Youth Smoking in Ireland: a special analysis of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study download

Houses of the Oireachtas:
Joint Committee on Education and Skills Report on Relationships and Sexuality Education. January 2019. download
Report on tackling childhood obesity. November 2018. download 
Report on tackling of obesity and the promotion of health eating in schools. July 2018. download

Institute of Public Health:
Smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland - Snapshot Report.  download
Smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland. Snapshot report 2016. download

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment:
Written Submissions. Consultation on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in primary and post-primary school. download 
Submissions. Phase two of the Review of relationships and Sexuality Education. download

Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development:
Children and Young People's Mental Health in the Digital Age. Shaping the future. download
New technologies and 21st century children: Recent trends and outcomes. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 179. download
Opportunities for All: A Framework for Policy Action on Inclusive Growth. download
Treating all children equally?: Why policies should adapt to evolving family living arrangements. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 240. download

The Economic and Social Research Institute:
Clusters of health behaviours among young adults in Ireland. Research series number 101. download
Risk and protective factors for mental health and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence. Research series number 120. download

UNESCO:
School violence and bullying: Global status and trends, drivers and consequences. download

UNICEF:
A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents. download
Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries download
Developing a Global Indicator on Bullying of School-aged Children. Innocenti Working Paper WP-2018-11.  download.
Fairness for Children: A league table of inequality in child well-being in rich countries download

World Health Organization:
Adolescent alcohol-related behaviours: trends and inequalities in the WHO European Region, 2002–2014: observations from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (‎HBSC)‎ WHO collaborative cross-national study. World Health Organization. download
Adolescent obesity and related behaviours: trends and inequalities in the WHO European Region, 2002–2014. Observations from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) WHO collaborative cross-national study. download
Better food and nitrition in Europe: a progress report monitoring policy implementation in the WHO European region. download
European Health Report 2018: More than numbers - Evidence for all. download
Physical Activity Factsheets for the 28 European Union Member States of the WHO European Region. download
Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region 2016-2025 download
Progress reports on Investing in Children: the European Child and Adolescent Health Strategy 2015–2020 and the European Child Maltreatment Prevention Action Plan 2015–2020. download
Reducing inequities in health across the life-course: early years, childhood and adolescence. download 
Situation of Child and Adolescent Health in Europe. download
Targets and indicators for Heath 2020. Version 4. download
The Health and Well-being of Men in the WHO European Region: Better health through a Gender Approach.  download.
WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco smoking 2000-2025, second edition. download
Youth: The future is ours! download