NATIONAL

HEALTH BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN:
WHO COLLABORATIVE CROSS-NATIONAL STUDY (HBSC)
2014 SURVEY IN SCOTLAND NATIONAL REPORT
GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF LOCAL AREA
Young people were asked to respond to a variety of statements regarding their local area and asked whether they agreed
with each.
Seventy two percent (72%) of 13- and 15-year olds agree that people say hello and talk to each other in the street, (69%
of boys and 74% of girls). A gender difference is only seen at age 15, where 63% of boys agree compared with 73% of girls
(Figure 5.3).
Eighty percent (80%) of 13- and 15-year olds feel it is safe for children to play outside, an equivalent proportion of boys and
girls (Figure 5.4). Fifteen year old boys are less likely to agree with this statement than 13-year old boys (75% versus 84%).
Sixty six percent (66%) of 13- and 15-year olds agree that they can trust people in their local area; 67% of boys and 64% of
girls. This proportion is greater at age 13 for boys (71% compared with 63% at age 15), but not girls (Figure 5.5).
Over half of 13- and 15-year olds (59%) agree that there are good places to spend their free time locally, with no gender
differences in responses. Proportions are greater at age 13 than age 15 among both boys and girls (Figure 5.6). At age 13, 17%
of boys and 20% of girls disagree with this statement, while at age 15, 26% of boys and 28% of girls do so. Eighteen percent
neither agree nor disagree with the statement.
More than two thirds (68%) of 13- and 15-year olds agree that they can ask for help from neighbours, an equal proportion
of boys and girls. The proportion of young people that feel they can ask for help reduces with age (72% among 13-year olds
compared to 64% among 15-year olds) (Figure 5.7). Eighteen percent (18%) neither agree nor disagree with the statement,
and a further 14% disagree.
Fifty seven percent (57%) of 13- and 15-year olds disagree that most people in their neighbourhood would try to take
advantage of them if they got the chance; 20% agree; 23% neither agree nor disagree. These proportions do not differ by
age group or gender (Figure 5.8).
When responses to the above six items were combined, a favourable perception of the local area was defined as agreement
with the first five statements and disagreement with the sixth. Twenty two percent of young people have a favourable
perception of their local area, an equal proportion of boys and girls (Figure 5.9). A greater proportion of 13-year olds have a
favourable perception of their local area (26% compared with 19% of 15-year olds).
USE OF LOCAL GREENSPACE
When asked how often they use their local greenspace in the summertime, 15% of 13- and 15-year olds report that they do
so less than once a month. Nineteen percent (19%) use local greenspace between one and three times a month and 64%
do so at least weekly. Sixty eight percent (68%) of 13-year olds and 61% of 15-year olds are weekly users of greenspace with
more boys than girls at age 15 (Figure 5.10).
When asked how many hours a week they spent in their local greenspace during the summertime, 22% were classified
as non/light users, 24% as moderate users and 54% as heavy users (see appendix for classifications). At age 13, no gender
difference was seen, but at age 15, girls were less likely than boys to be heavy users (46% compared with 56%, respectively)
and more likely to be moderate users (27% compared with 21%, respectively) (Figure 5.11).
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