Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Scottish Health Survey (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:estimate the prevalence of particular health conditions in Scotland;estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these health conditions and to document the pattern of related health behaviours;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;monitor trends in the population's health over time;make a major contribution to monitoring progress towards health targets.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. The Scottish Government Scottish Health Survey webpages contain further information about the series, including latest news and publications.
The Scottish Health Survey, 2008 was designed to provide data at a national level about the population living in private households in Scotland. The sample for the 2008 survey, as in previous years, was drawn from the Postcode Address File (PAF). An initial sample of 9,906 addresses were selected and grouped into 492 interviewer batches, with around 45 batches covered each month between February and December 2008. The 9,906 addresses were comprised of three sample types: 6,945 formed the main sample, at which adults and children were eligible to be selected for interview 2,301 addresses formed an additional child boost sample at which only households containing children aged 0-15 were eligible to participate 660 addresses (220 in each of Grampian, Fife and Borders) formed the Health Board boost sample, at which only adults were eligible for interview Latest edition information For the fourth edition (July 2021) OECD equivalised income derived variables were added to the individual file. The new variables are: OECD (OECD household score for equivalised income); eqvinc_15 (Equivalised income - OECD score); eqv5_15 (Equivalised Income Quintiles); and eqv10_15 (Equivalised Income Deciles).
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The questionnaire covered: general health and wellbeing, cardiovascular disease and use of services, asthma, eating habits, adult (16+) and child (2-15) physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, smoking and alcohol consumption (16+), dental health (16+), economic activity, education, parental history, measurements and standard classification questions. Some participants also answered questions about their knowledge of health messages and attitudes to health and motivations to make lifestyle changes for health purposes. The nurse visit covered prescribed medicines; vitamin supplements; nicotine replacement therapy; stress, anxiety and self-harm; food poisoning; blood pressure; demi-span (65+); waist and hip circumference; lung function; blood sample; saliva sample and urine sample.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
