In the absence of suitable indicators of adolescent socioeconomic status, the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) was first developed in Scotland 25 years ago. Since then, it has been adapted for use in the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study to research inequalities in adolescent health in Europe and North America. FAS has also been used as an indicator of adolescent socioeconomic status in research studies outside of HBSC, worldwide. There has been a need for FAS to evolve and change its component items over time in order to take into account social and technological changes influencing the families of adolescents. This paper uniquely charts the development of FAS describing the methodological work carried out to validate the measure internationally and over time. It also presents an overview of the body of evidence on adolescent health inequalities produced over years from the HBSC Study and other research studies. Interviews conducted with policy stakeholders reveal that the evidence from FAS-related HBSC work has influenced their strategic work to raise awareness of inequalities and make the case for action to address these. Finally, the future of FAS is discussed with respect to its continual evolution in the context of technological, environmental and social change.

Copenhagen Business School Kilevej 14 A 2000 Frederiksberg Denmark

Department of Health Psychology and Methodology of Research Medical Faculty PJ Safarik University Trieda SNP 1 040 01 Kosice Slovak Republic

Department of Interdisciplinary Science Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 1 3584 CS Utrecht the Netherlands

Glasgow Caledonian University London 40 Fashion Street London E1 6PX UK

Olomouc University Social Health Institute Palacky University in Olomouc Univerzitni 22 771 11 Olomouc Czech Republic

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