Overview of key data sources: Scottish Health Survey

Organisation responsible: The survey is commissioned by the Scottish Executive Health Department and is conducted and reported by a consortium comprising the Scottish Centre for Social Research, the National Centre for Social Research, the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, and the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow.

Background and purpose: The Scottish Health Survey aims to estimate the prevalence of health conditions and health-related behaviours, with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease and related risk factors. The survey also aims to monitor progress towards the Scottish Executive's health and dietary targets. The survey now provides trend data going back almost a decade, and providing a time series has become an important function of the survey.

Survey years / frequency: Surveys were carried out in 1995, 1998 and 2003.

Survey content: The survey consists of an interview that includes questions on general health, cardiovascular disease, respiratory symptoms, eating habits, smoking, drinking, physical activity and accidents as well as height and weight measurements. Respondents are asked if they would consent to a follow-up nurse visit. The nurse visit collects additional information and takes further measurements including blood pressure, lung function, saliva and blood samples, and a urine sample or an ECG reading on a sub-sample of respondents.

Target population: The target population is people living in private households in Scotland. The age range for the 1995 survey was adults aged 16 to 64. In the 1998 survey the age range was extended to people aged between 2 and 74 years old. In the 2003 survey the age range was extended again and the survey included children aged 0 to 15 and adults aged 16 and over.

Sample size: In the 2003 survey, around 14,000 addresses were selected for inclusion in the survey. Two samples were selected for the survey: a general population (main) sample in which all adults and up to two children were eligible to be selected in each household; and a child boost sample in which up to two children were eligible to be selected in additional households. The child boost sample was to ensure that sufficient numbers of children were included in the sample overall. There were 8,148 individual interviews with adults and, of these, 5,444 saw a nurse. Interviews were carried out with 3,324 children and 2,224 children were seen by a nurse.

Response rate: Among adults the response rate for the main interview was 60%. Among children the response rate for the main interview was 72%.

Method of data collection: Interviews are conducted using computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). Permission is also sought for a follow up nurse visit. The nurse asks some further questions and takes some measurements (e.g. blood pressure, lung function, waist and hip measurements, and blood and saliva samples).

Smallest geographical unit reported: The 2003 survey was designed to provide data at both national and regional level. This was also the case for the 1995 and 1998 surveys. The regions are based on aggregating neighbouring health boards into seven areas (Highland and Islands; Grampian and Tayside; Lothian and Fife; Borders, Dumfries and Galloway; Greater Glasgow; Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran; Argyll and Clyde, Forth Valley). The regional analysis has not been included in the 2003 final report. However, a series of health board tables(215Kb), including some of the key indicators presented in the report, are available.

Availability of results and further information: Further information is available from the Scottish Health Survey website, which includes reports summarising the results from the 1995, 1998 and 2003 surveys. The Scottish Health Survey datasets are available from the UK Data Archive.