Foreword
I am pleased to present the 2007 Report on Adult Health from the New South Wales Population Health Survey, which provides information on health behaviours, health status, access to health services, and social capital, for adults aged 16 years and over.
In 2007, data for the New South Wales Population Health Survey were collected from February to December.
After describing the survey methods, this report presents information on health behaviours including: alcohol and cannabis, environmental health (water quality), gambling, immunisation (influenza and pneumococcal), injury prevention (fire safety in the home and first aid for burns and scalds), nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, smoking (including passive smoking), and sun protection. This is followed by a chapter on health status including: self-rated health, asthma, diabetes or high blood glucose, mental health (psychological distress), oral health, overweight and obesity, and family health history. Next there is a chapter on health services including: health service use and access, private health insurance, difficulties getting health care, emergency department presentations, hospital admissions, general practitioner services, public dental services, and community health centres. Finally, there is a chapter on social capital.
These indicators are presented in graphical form (in the PDF and HTML versions) and in graphical and tabular form (in the HTML version). For each indicator, where data are available, the report includes a bar chart of the indicator by age group, a bar chart of the indicator by socioeconomic status, a 'hi-lo' chart of the indicator by area health service, and a line chart of trend by sex. In the HTML version, the table below the chart presents further information. Both the PDF and HTML versions can be obtained from the New South Wales Population Health Survey website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/surveys/index.asp.
This is a descriptive report and there is a wealth of other information in the survey dataset that may be of specific interest. For these reasons we encourage as many people as possible to analyse the data further. For further analysis within a health area, data can be accessed through the Health Outcomes Information Statistical Toolkit (HOIST). For further analysis among health areas or at a statewide level, a data request needs to be lodged with the NSW Department of Health.
Comments on the New South Wales Population Health Survey are welcome.
I thank all the individuals and organisations who contributed their time and expertise to assist in the development and conduct of the Survey in 2007.
Kerry Chant
Acting Chief Health Officer and Deputy Director-General, Population Health
November 2008
| Source: | New South Wales Population Health Survey 2007 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health. |
| Print version: | Although this page can be printed directly from your web browser, a higher quality version is available as a PDF file that can be printed or viewed on screen. |
| Produced by: | Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health. |
| Last updated on: | 1 October 2008 |