HBSC 2006 full variable report: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Ireland study 2006: Socio-demographic patterns in the health behaviours, risk behaviours, health outcomes and social contexts of young people's lives

Abstract

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (Ireland) study is conducted by the HBSC Ireland research team at the Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland (www.nuigalway.ie/hbsc). HBSC Ireland is one part of the international HBSC research network, which comprises research teams in 41 countries across North America and the European region in collaboration with the World Health Organisation. The HBSC study is the product of an international network of researchers (www.hbsc.org), who work in topic-focused groups to develop the conceptual underpinnings of the study, identify research questions, discuss and decide on the methods and measurements to be employed and work on data analyses and the dissemination of findings. For each survey round a full research protocol is developed which includes the scientific rationales for topic areas, the international standard questionnaire with recommendations and guidance for translation, layout and question order, along with procedures for sampling, data collection and the preparation of the national data set (Currie et al., 2000; 2004). The international HBSC terms of reference also includes directions for the use of the international dataset and the collaboratively agreed procedures for data dissemination. Adherence to the international protocol is required for entry into the international dataset, and this has been achieved for all data included in this report.