Welfare state regimes, health and health inequalities in adolescence: a multilevel study in 32 countries.

Comparative research on health and health inequalities has recently started to establish a welfare regime perspective. The objective of this study was to determine whether different welfare regimes are associated with health and health inequalities among adolescents. Data were collected from the 'Health Behaviour in School-aged Children' study in 2006, including 11- to 15-year-old students from 32 countries (N = 141,091).

The role of behavioural factors in explaining socio-economic differences in adolescent health: a multilevel study in 33 countries.

Attempts to describe and explain socio-economic differences in health have mainly focused on adults. Little is known about the mechanisms of the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health in adolescence including inconsistent findings between SES and health among young people. Data were derived from representative samples of 13 and 15-year-old students in 33 European and North American countries (n=97,721) as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study 2001/2002.

Socioeconomic effects on meeting physical activity guidelines: comparisons among 32 countries.

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between age and gender with physical activity (PA) and how meeting of PA guidelines (PAGL) is related to socioeconomic status (SES) and sedentary behaviors (SB).

Methods: Data were collected from 11-, 13-, and 15-yr-old students in 32 countries participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey 2001/2002. A self-completed questionnaire assessed weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and SB for the past 7 d and MVPA for a typical week.

School-based prevention for illicit drugs use: a systematic review.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of school-based interventions in preventing or reducing drug use.

Methods: The search strategy was conducted according to the Cochrane Collaboration method, and applied to MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, PSYCHINFO, Cochrane Library, ACP Journal Club, Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group Register. RCTs and CCTs evaluating school-based interventions designed to prevent substance use were reviewed.

Girls growing through adolescence have a higher risk of poor health.

Introduction: Self rated health, in adult population, is strongly associated with mortality and life expectancy. In younger people this association is less evident, but it may anticipate a similar risk in adult life. Our research, based on the HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) International collaboration, contributes to deepen the knowledge in this field by monitoring adolescents' health through a multi-national survey involving 29 European countries, plus North America (Canada and USA) and Israel.

Do welfare regimes mediate the effect of socioeconomic position on health in adolescence? A Cross-national comparison in Europe, North America, and Israel.

This article examines whether different types of welfare states mediate the effect of socioeconomic position on adolescents' health. The authors' main hypothesis is that countries with stronger redistributive policies will be more effective in weakening the association between socioeconomic position and health, thus reducing health inequalities. Analyses were carried out for Israel and 32 countries of Europe and North America.

Socio-economic position and adolescents' health in Italy: the role of the quality of social relations.

Background: The quality of social relations in adolescence is possibly one of the major determinants of habits that can influence the health of young people, and it may also be one of the mediators of the effect of social position on health. In this paper we propose to test these hypotheses for Italian adolescents, in order to suggest interventions aimed at improving their health.

Methods: The Italian data of the HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) survey 2001-02 have been analysed, and the distribution of the perceived quality of social relations has been described, stratified by age, gender, and economic well-being.