joint strategic needs assessment foundation profile - JSNA

Interative Hull Atlas: www.hullpublichealth.org/Pages/hull_atlas.htm More information: www.jsnaonline.org and www.hullpublichealth.org
13.2 Local Surveys
13.2.1 Health and Lifestyle Surveys
In order to have an impact on reducing inequity in health and preventing disease rather
than just treating disease, it is necessary to influence people‟s attitudes and behaviours
towards health, and in order to accomplish this it is necessary to have knowledge about
health-related attitudes and behaviours and people‟s perceptions towards their health,
as well as the prevalence of risk factors, such as smoking, and prevalence of diseases
and medical conditions.
National data are available for some health and lifestyle issues from surveys such as the
Health Survey for England, but since this covers the whole of England, relatively few
people within the local area participate in the survey. However, such data can be used
to compare local data with national data, although in many cases different questions and
responses categories, and differences in the survey designs mean that it is not
straightforward to compare the results directly.
A number of local surveys have been conducted and are detailed below. Reports
resulting from these local surveys can be found at www.hullpublichealth.org.
13.2.1.1 Adult Survey Conducted in 2003
A local adult Health and Lifestyle Survey conducted in Hull by the Public Health
Development Team 79 during 2003 provides more detail at the local level (Public Health
Development Team 2005). The aim of the survey was to provide information which
could be used in the planning and evaluation of current and future services within the
area, particularly those services aimed at improving public health. The survey also
provided information to a much wider range of organisations and individuals who have
an interest in the health and health-related lifestyle activities of the population. A
random sample of people aged between 16 and 84 years who were registered with a
General Practitioner (GP) within the Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire were sent a selfcompletion
questionnaire. As this represents a GP practice-based sample, it means that
some individuals who live beyond the boundary were included in the sample. However,
as postcode of the individual was collected, it is possible to examine only residents of
Hull. A self-completed questionnaire was returned by 1,716 Eastern Hull PCT and
1,560 West Hull PCT residents (out of 6,500) giving an overall response rate of 50%
which compares favourably to other general population surveys, especially in urban
areas.
Local people participating in the Health and Lifestyle Survey were asked questions
about specific risk factors, including questions relating to obesity, smoking, exercise and
alcohol, and were also asked about their usage of local health services.
79 Now Public Health Science section of Hull Teaching Primary Care Trust.
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