HBSC Team

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Team

Prof. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, Dr Colette Kelly and Dr Michal Molcho (as members of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Team.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Irish team is based in NUI Galway and has been part of the HSBC cross-national research study conducted with the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 1994.  Since 1998, HSBC has conducted a total of 5 surveys across school going children on issues of health and well-being, social environments and health behaviours. The findings are used both at a national and international level to gain insight and trends into the youth.

The Health Behaviour Team in School-Aged Children’s (HBSC) application detailed their role in establishing the HBSC survey, a WHO collaborative cross-national study, which monitors behaviours, health outcomes and social environments of boys and girls from 11-15 years of age. This team has been at the forefront of using this research to influence policy and action development to improve child and adolescent health in Ireland over the past 23 years.

This HBSC application was impressive as it addressed the important issue of improving child and adolescent health. Their work demonstrated significant depth and longevity having been established in 1995. It also demonstrated a strong international reach and network, and they had many examples of where their work influences both National and International policy and practice to improve Child and Adolescent Health.