The study “Health Behaviours in School-Age Children 11, 13 and 15 Years” (HBSC) is the only international study of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, that goes beyond its geographical boundaries. This study focuses on adolescent health-related behaviors in a large number of countries. Being a fully-fledged member of this project has also made it possible to follow a periodic cycle of conducting this study, a cycle that is suggested and mandatory for all members of this network. This periodicity is applied every 4 years based on the use of a standard questionnaire, as a survey instrument, distributed by the project management office in all member states.
The International Protocol is reviewed during each survey cycle in preparation for the next phase of data collection. Following review, existing items may be retained, modified or replaced. New topics may also be introduced The use of an international-prototype questionnaire, unique to all member countries, with minor adjustments to the health-educational specificities of our country (and every other member) is a necessary condition for carrying out this study. Consequently, the questionnaire at hand, which is the main research instrument applied in Albania, is identical to the one used by all member states.
At the same time, the questionnaire is the same as the questionnaire used from the beginning of the study for our country until today. This fact makes it possible to compare data and draw conclusions about the behaviors of school-aged children between different countries applying this project, as well as to compare these data across different periods within the same country, pointing to behavioral changes, as well as developmental trends for different behaviors in adolescents. Such data make it possible to anticipate adolescent behavioral developments with sound government policies in their respective countries, favoring the success of these policies and achieving national-level objectives. Albania has become part of the network of countries participating in the HBSC study since 2007. In 2009, our country participated in the HBSC 2009-2010 study, along with 43 other countries from Europe and North America. Since 2013, Albania has become part of both HBSC European Reports.
