Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Health Survey for England (HSE) is a series of surveys designed to monitor trends in the nation's health.  It was commissioned by NHS Digital and carried out by the Joint Health Surveys Unit of the National Centre for Social Research and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London.The aims of the HSE series are:to provide annual data about the nation’s health;to estimate the proportion of people in England with specified health conditions;to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these conditions;to examine differences between population subgroups in their likelihood of having specific conditions or risk factors;to assess the frequency with which particular combinations of risk factors are found, and which groups these combinations most commonly occur;to monitor progress towards selected health targetssince 1995, to measure the height of children at different ages, replacing the National Study of Health and Growth;since 1995, monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children.The survey includes a number of core questions every year but also focuses on different health issues at each wave. Topics are revisited at appropriate intervals in order to monitor change. Further information about the series may be found on the NHS Digital Health Survey for England; health, social care and lifestyles webpage, the NatCen Social Research NatCen Health Survey for England webpage and the University College London Health and Social Surveys Research Group UCL Health Survey for England webpage. Changes to the HSE from 2015:Users should note that from 2015 survey onwards, only the individual data file is available under standard End User Licence (EUL). The household data file is now only included in the Special Licence (SL) version, released from 2015 onwards. In addition, the SL individual file contains all the variables included in the HSE EUL dataset, plus others, including variables removed from the EUL version after the NHS Digital disclosure review. The SL HSE is subject to more restrictive access conditions than the EUL version (see Access information). Users are advised to obtain the EUL version to see if it meets their needs before considering an application for the SL version.

The 2002 Health Survey for England (HSE02) consists of two samples. The general population sample is a national cross-section sample. All private households in the general population sample are eligible for inclusion in the survey (up to a maximum of three households per address). Running alongside the general population sample is a boost sample of children and young adults aged 0 to 24 years and mothers of infants aged under one year. In both samples up to two children aged 0-15 are interviewed in each household, as well as up to 10 adults aged 16 and over. Information was obtained directly from persons aged 13 and over. Information about children under 13 was obtained from a parent with the child present. An interview with each eligible person was followed by a nurse visit, both using computer assisted interviewing. The survey is conducted throughout the year to take into consideration seasonal differences. For the second edition (April 2010), three new children's Body Mass Index (BMI) variables have been added to the individual data file (bmicat1, bmicat2, bmicat3). Further information is available in the documentation and on the Information Centre for Health and Social Care Health Survey for England web page.

Main Topics:

The interview included the question modules that are asked in most years in the Health Survey ('core' modules), such as general health and longstanding illnesses, use of health services, drinking, cigarette smoking, psycho-social health (GHQ12) and fruit and vegetable consumption (introduced in 2001). In the 2002 survey for the first time were questions on maternal (and infant) health of mothers of children under the age of one year. In addition to the 'core' question modules outlined above, informants under the age of 24 were asked questions on respiratory symptoms, accidents and physical activity (2-24 year olds only). For each child aged 4-15, parents were asked to complete the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Standard Measures General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Face-to-face interview

Self-completion

Clinical measurements

Physical measurements

CAPI