Scottish Health Survey, 2003

Abstract

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>The <I>Scottish Health Survey</I> (SHeS) series was established in 1995. Commissioned by the Scottish Government Health Directorates, the series provides regular information on aspects of the public's health and factors related to health which cannot be obtained from other sources. The SHeS series was designed to:<ul><li>estimate the prevalence of particular health conditions in Scotland;</li><li>estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these health conditions and to document the pattern of related health behaviours;</li><li>look at differences between regions and between subgroups of the population in the extent of their having these particular health conditions or risk factors, and to make comparisons with other national statistics for Scotland and England;</li><li>monitor trends in the population's health over time;</li><li>make a major contribution to monitoring progress towards health targets.</li></ul>Each survey in the series includes a set of core questions and measurements (height and weight and, if applicable, blood pressure, waist circumference, urine and saliva samples), plus modules of questions on specific health conditions that vary from year to year. Each year the core sample has also been augmented by an additional boosted sample for children. Since 2008 NHS Health Boards have also had the opportunity to boost the number of adult interviews carried out in their area. <br> <br> The Scottish Government <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/scottish-health-survey" title="Scottish Health Survey">Scottish Health Survey</a> webpages contain further information about the series, including latest news and publications. <br> <br>The <i>Scottish Health Survey, 2003 </i> was designed to provide data at both national and regional level about the population living in private households in Scotland. The sample for the 2003 survey, as in 1995 and 1998, was drawn from the Postcode Address File (PAF). Sampled addresses were selected from 312 postal sectors, with 26 sectors covered each month. Each point contained 44 addresses, 26 of these formed the main sample where all adults and up to 2 children per household were eligible to take part. The remaining 18 addresses formed a child boost sample at which only households containing children aged 0-15 were eligible to take part. This was done to ensure that sufficient numbers of children were included in the sample overall. All private households in the general population sample were eligible for inclusion in the survey (up to a maximum of three households per address).<br> <br> Information was obtained directly from persons aged 13 and over. Information about children under 13 was obtained from a parent with the child present.<br> An interview with each eligible person (stage 1) was followed by a nurse visit (stage 2) both using computer-assisted interviewing. Of the original 312 sample points, the nurse visit was split into 3 sample types, 210 standard sample points, 58 ECG sample points and 44 spot urine sample points. In the ECG points adults aged 35 and over were asked to participate in an ECG test in addition to the standard measurements carried out in the nurse visit. In the urine points adults aged 16 and over were asked to provide a urine sample for the analysis of dietary electrolytes. The ECG and urine points did not overlap.<br> <br> The standard nurse visit collected blood pressure measurements, saliva samples, waist and hip, mid-upper arm circumference and demi-span measurements, lung function and non-fasting blood samples.Blood and saliva samples were sent to a laboratory for analysis. Interviewing was conducted throughout the year to take account of seasonal differences.<br> <br> For the second edition (June 2011), a revised version of the individual file was deposited, containing revisions to the derived variables in the alcohol and adult physical activity sections. A document explaining the revisions has also been provided. <br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>Topics covered in the interviewer visit in the 2003 survey were general health, cardiovascular disease and use of services, asthma, accidents, eating habits, adult (16+) and child (2-15) physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, smoking, alcohol consumption, dental health, economic activity, education, parental history, measurements and standard classification questions. <br> <br> The nurse visit covered prescribed medicines, immunisations, measurements at birth and feeding, infant length measurements, vitamin supplements, nicotine replacements, food poisoning, upper arm circumference (2-15), blood pressure (5+), demi-span (65+), waist and hip circumference (16+), lung function (7+), blood sample (11+), saliva sample (4+), ECG (35+) and urine sample (16+).<br