South Staffordshire 2008 adult lifestyle survey
Results for the South Staffordshire 2008 adult lifestyle survey are now available. Please see below for the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust reports:
Results are also available at Local Authority and Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) level. To view these please click on the relevant tab below:
Why have we done a lifestyle survey?
South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) approach is to focus on the prevention of ill health and to target our resources where there is greatest need. To do this, the PCT needs to plan future services to prevent ill health as well as treating illness. However, to provide services to promote good health we need to have good information about the key lifestyle issues in our population, for example, on
- Smoking habits
- The number of people who are obese or overweight
- Levels of physical activity and fitness
- Diet, eg fruit and vegetable consumption
- Alcohol consumption
- Sun awareness
- Dental health
- How people feel about their health
We also need to have some brief information about people’s age, gender and some general information about where they live so that we can look at lifestyle information in particular age groups or parts of the PCT.
This information will help us to address some of the main health issues and challenges we face, for example:
- Tackling the rise in obesity
- Problems with alcohol misuse
- Helping people not to smoke
- Helping to keep older people healthy
- Promoting good health amongst young adults.
This new survey updates a previous survey undertaken in 2002 and will help us to see how lifestyle behaviour has changed over the past 5 years.
Aims and objectives
- To collect key information on attitudes of local residents towards their health and other issues, including patterns of behaviour, health status, beliefs and about health risks. Specific issues to be covered in the survey are listed above. The survey will also collect basic respondent demographic details.
- To track changes in lifestyle behaviours amongst the residents of South Staffordshire PCT since a previous survey undertaken in 2002.
- To provide analysis at local authority level and for practice based commissioners.
- To create baseline information for new lifestyle interventions.
Population and sample
South Staffordshire PCT has a population of approximately 600,000 persons. The survey will be targeted at adults aged over 16 and cover all parts of the PCT. Survey results will be provided for each of the 6 local authority areas in the PCT and also for the 5 Practice Based Commissioning groups in the PCT. The survey will also allow us to do more complex analysis, such as looking at multiple lifestyle risk factors or targeting specific areas.
The sample has been selected at random to be representative of the PCT population as a whole (stratified sample by age and sex) – 21,000 questionnaires are being sent to PCT residents, selected from the database of patients registered with a general practitioner in the PCT area. Our Local Ethics Committee has approved the survey.
Research design
- A postal questionnaire was sent to adults selected at random (as above) from the GP register.
- Two reminder letters were sent, both with repeat questionnaires.
- Questionnaires and reminder letters were sent with a covering letter from the Director of Public Health.
- Respondents were able to obtain further information about the survey if required from a helpline. The helpline also provided assistance to those who may not be able to complete a questionnaire without help.
- A secure online option was available for those who wanted to complete the survey on a computer.
The questionnaire to be used was based on a previous survey conducted in 2002 with only minor amendments. A pilot survey was undertaken to test new questions. A copy of the questionnaire has been attached:
Confidentiality
The survey was being undertaken by an independent research organisation (NEMS) www.nemsmr.co.uk. All information, whether completed online or completed by questionnaire will be treated in the strictest confidence with secure procedures in place.
Note : All the documents contained within the site are available for download in PDF format. You can download the Adobe Reader from the Adobe website.
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