Health Survey for England, 2004

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>The <I>Health Survey for England</I> is a series of surveys designed to monitor trends in the nation's health. It is commissioned by the Information Centre 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.<ul><li>The aims of the HSE series are: <li>to provide annual data about the nation's health;</li><li>to estimate the proportion of people in England with specified health conditions;</li><li>to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors associated with these conditions;</li><li>to examine differences between population subgroups in their likelihood of having specific conditions or risk factors;</li><li>to assess the frequency with which particular combinations of risk factors are found, and which groups these combinations most commonly occur;</li><li>to monitor progress towards selected health targets;</li><li>since 1995, to measure the height of children at different ages, replacing the National Study of Health and Growth, and to monitor the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children.</li></ul>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.<br> <br> Further information about the series may be found on the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) <a href="http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/3741/Health-Survey-for-England-Health-social-care-and-lifestyles" title="Health Survey for England; health, social care and lifestyles">Health Survey for England; health, social care and lifestyles</a> webpage, the NatCen Social Research <a href="http://www.natcen.ac.uk/our-research/research/health-survey-for-england/" title="NatCen Health Survey for England">NatCen Health Survey for England</a> webpage and the University College London Health and Social Surveys Research Group <a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hssrg/studies/hse" title="UCL Health Survey for England">UCL Health Survey for England</a> webpage.<br> <br>The <i>Health Survey for England, 2004</i> (HSE 2004) was designed to provide data at both national and regional level about the population living in private households in England. The sample design of the 2004 survey had two parts: a general population sample that followed the same pattern as in previous years and a minority ethnic 'boost' sample (for the groups covered, see above). <br> <br> The general population sample was half the size of the usual sample. Up to ten adults and up to two children in each household were interviewed, and a nurse visit arranged for those participants in minority ethnic groups who consented. For the ethnic boost sample, all sampled addresses were fully screened and only informants from the specified minority ethnic groups were eligible for inclusion in the survey. Among these, up to four adults and three children were selected for interview. For informants from the specified minority ethnic groups (whether identified in the general population sample or the minority ethnic sample), an interview with each eligible person was followed by a nurse visit.<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. The survey was conducted throughout the year to take into consideration seasonal differences.<br> <br> For the second edition (April 2010), three new children's Body Mass Index (BMI) variables have been added to the general population and ethnic boost data files (bmicat1, bmicat2, bmicat3). The original variables (bmicut, bmicut2, bmicut3) are unreliable and should not be used. Further information is available in the documentation and on the Information Centre for Health and Social Care <a href=" http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles-related-surveys/health-survey-for-england" title "Health Survey for England" >Health Survey for England</a> web page.<br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>The main focus of HSE 2004 for adults from minority ethnic backgrounds was cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related risk factors. In addition to the core HSE topics, a module on complementary therapies and alternative medicine was also included in the main individual questionnaire. <br> <br> At the nurse visit, questions were asked about prescribed medication, vitamin supplements and nicotine replacements. The nurse took the blood pressure of those aged five and over, measured lung function of those aged 7-15, and made waist and hip measurements for those aged 11 and over. Saliva samples were collected from 4-15 year olds and blood samples from those aged 11 and over, including fasting blood from those aged 16 and over. Blood and saliva samples were sent to a laboratory for analysis.<br> <br> Informants in the general population sample, unless they were members of the specified minority ethnic groups, were given a shortened version of the questionnaire covering core topics only.<br> <br> <br> Standard Measures<ul><li>General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12)</li><li>EQ-5D Health State</li>