This special issue marks the 40th anniversary of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. It will provide a critical exploration of trends in adolescent health and well-being through analysis of the rich data archive of the HBSC study, which includes records extending back to the 1980s. Papers will elucidate the delicate interplay between individual experiences and societal forces, as well as their combined impact on adolescent well-being. In particular, the special issue aims to display ground-breaking research that unpacks the roles of gender, age, and family affluence on health and well-being trends among adolescents over the past decades.


We welcome submissions that:
1. Examine the HBSC study and its contribution to understanding adolescent health and well-being
2. Identify trends in young people’s lives over the past few decades
3. Examine individual, societal, and ecological mechanisms that explain these trends
4. Investigate how trends may differ among diverse groups


Articles accepted for publication will appear in the online special issue about 3 weeks after acceptance. All IJPH rules for double-blind peer review, article types, format and article processing charges (APC) apply.
The GLOBEQUITY program of IJPH offers a limited number of waivers for first authors from low and middle income countries!
If you have any questions, please contact the IJPH Editorial Office, ijph@swisstph.ch.

Article types and fees

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Commentary
• Editorial
• Hints and Kinks
• Letter to the Editor
• Original Article
• Review
• Theory & Concept
• Young Researcher Editorial

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Commentary
• Editorial
• Hints and Kinks
• Letter to the Editor
• Original Article
• Review
• Theory & Concept
• Young Researcher Editorial

Keywords: Adolescent health, policy impact, HBSC, Trends, social context, inequalities