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WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK (2004): THE SECOND NATIONAL SCOTTISH SURVEY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TO MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
CHAPTER FOUR: GENERAL HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
4.1 This chapter considers respondents' self-assessed general health and their experience of longstanding illness, disability or infirmity. It also considers levels of community engagement and informal support networks.
rating of general health
4.2 The clear majority (83%) of respondents rated their health as being either 'very good' or 'fairly good', with two in five rating it as very good (38%). Four per cent of those surveyed rated their health as 'very poor'. This finding is similar to the Scottish Health Survey 1998 (Scottish Executive, 2000) where almost eight in ten adults perceived their health to be 'very good' or 'good'.
4.3 As table 4.1 shows, ratings of general health varied among different sub-groups of respondents. Younger respondents, those who were more socially engaged, and those who lived in the North East group of NHS board areas were among those most likely to say that their health was 'good' or 'very good'.
4.4 Self-assessed health also varied by household income and the ease with which respondents felt they could cope financially. Those whose total household income was less than 5,200 per year and those who said they found it difficult to manage on their income were less likely to rate their general health as good than those on higher incomes and those who found it easy to manage on their incomes. This correlation with income is, of course, also highly correlated to age - older people, one of the groups most likely to rate their general health as poor, are among those most likely to have a low income. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) takes account of a broad range of measures of deprivation and shows that respondents in the least deprived areas (band 5) were significantly more likely to have rated their general health as good (87%) than those living in the most deprived band 1 (79%).
4.5 Predictably, people showing no, or few, signs of possible mental health problems (as indicated by their low GHQ12 scores
7), were more likely to rate their general health positively than those with high GHQ12 scores. The GHQ12 is explained in the next chapter on mental health and well-being. Similarly, those with a limiting condition were much less likely than those without such a condition to rate their health negatively.
Table 4.1: Rating of general health by sub-group
Q I'd like to start by asking some questions about your general health and lifestyle. First of all, in general, how would you describe your health these days?
| Good | Poor |
Base: All respondents | % | % |
All (1,401) | 83 | 11 |
16-34 (332) | 95 | 1 |
35-44 (257) | 85 | 8 |
45-54 (237) | 81 | 12 |
55-59 (118) | 77 | 17 |
60-64 (115) | 78 | 20 |
65+ (342) | 68 | 21 |
Annual household income less than 5,200 (114) | 66 | 24 |
Annual household income more than 26,000 (258) | 90 | 5 |
Easy to manage on income (659) | 86 | 9 |
Difficult to manage on income (195) | 74 | 15 |
IMD - least deprived area (band 5) (305) | 87 | 7 |
IMD - most deprived area (band 1) (312) | 79 | 13 |
Borders and South Health Board Area (197) | 84 | 9 |
Central Belt West Health Board Area (410) | 82 | 11 |
Highlands and Islands Health Board Area (214) | 82 | 13 |
Lothian and Fife Health Board Area (313) | 81 | 13 |
North East Health Board Area(267) | 87 | 7 |
Low GHQ12 score (1104) | 86 | 7 |
High GHQ12 score (196) | 58 | 30 |
Long standing limiting condition (327) | 44 | 40 |
No long standing limiting condition (899) | 93 | 2 |
Source: MORI
long-standing limiting conditions
4.6 Although more that four in five respondents rated their general health positively, around a third (31%) of people surveyed had a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity. This is 8% below the 2002 figure and around 10% below the finding from the Scottish Health Survey 1998 (Scottish Executive, 2000). Of those who had a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity, 63% said it limited their activities in some way; which is 20% of the total sample. This is in line with the 2001 census where 20% of people in Scotland said they had a limiting long-term illness.
Table 4.2: Proportion of those with long-standing illness, disability or infirmity by sub-groups
Q Do you have any long-standing illness, disability or infirmity? By long-standing, I mean anything that has troubled you over a period of time?
| All | 2002 | Male | Female | 16-24 | 75+ |
Base: All respondents | (1,401) | (1,381) | (594) | (807) | (131) | (155) |
| % | % | % | % | % | % |
Yes | 31 | 39 | 27 | 35 | 6 | 55 |
No | 69 | 61 | 73 | 65 | 94 | 45 |
Source: MORI
4.7 Women were more likely than men to have a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity, and older age groups were more likely than younger respondents.
4.8 Sixty-three per cent of those with a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity considered their condition to be limiting in some way. As figure 4.1 shows, half (49%) of these respondents said they experienced difficulty in climbing the stairs, 46% walking for at least 10 minutes and 44% had problems with standing on their own for at least 10 minutes. There is a clear correlation between age and the limiting impact of ill health.
Figure 4.1: Limited activities of those who have a long-standing illness, disability or infirmity
neighbourhood as a place to live
4.9 In general, people in the sample had lived in their neighbourhood for several years, as was the case in the 2002 survey. Six in ten (59%) people said they had lived in their neighbourhood for 10 years or more, including 38% who had lived there for 20 years or more. Seven per cent of respondents had moved into their neighbourhood within the past year, and a further six percent had lived there for between one and two years.
4.10 A large majority (87%) of respondents were satisfied with their area, with half (52%) saying they were very satisfied. Older residents and especially those aged 75+ were significantly more satisfied (95%) with their neighbourhood than younger age groups, including 16-24 year olds (85%). As might be expected, people living in more affluent areas (band 5) were more likely to be satisfied with their neighbourhood (94%) than those who were in less affluent areas - band 1 (78% of whom were satisfied). In addition, those people who displayed least engagement with their community were significantly less satisfied with their neighbourhood (74%) than people who were most engaged (93%).
community engagement and informal support networks
4.11 The majority (83%) of respondents said that they saw family or relatives more than once or twice a week, including 40% who said that they saw friends or relatives on most days. One per cent of those surveyed said that they never saw friends or relatives.
4.12 Age appears to influence contact with friends or family; with those in the younger age groups more likely to see their friends or family on most days compared to older age groups who tend to see friends and family less often. For example, 58% of 16-24 year olds said they saw their friends or family on most days compared to 28% of 75+ year olds.
Figure 4.2: Contact with friends or relatives
4.13 The survey included three items designed to assess the extent to which respondents were socially engaged in their communities. The items focused on attendance at social or leisure events and facilities; attendance at local community and representative groups and volunteering activity. As figure 4.3 illustrates, half of respondents said they attended social or leisure events or facilities regularly. Almost a quarter (22%) said they had given up any time as a volunteer or as an organiser. Very few (9%) respondents said that they had attended any local community or representative groups. Older people appear more likely to attend community or representative groups than younger people and women aged 35-54 are most likely to give up any time as a volunteer or as an organiser.
4.14 While there were no correlations between social engagement and self reported experience of mental health problems, those with low GHQ12 scores showed higher levels of social engagement than did those with high GHQ12 scores. This is consistent with wider research with shows that people who use mental health services are among the most socially excluded and deprived groups (see for example, Bates 2002).
Figure 4.3: Social or civic engagement
4.15 The majority of respondents had people they could turn to for help if they were experiencing personal difficulties. Ninety-four per cent of those surveyed said they had someone to turn to for help if they were ill in bed at home and 88% said they could turn to someone if they were in financial difficulty. The average number of people respondents said they could turn to if they had a serious personal crisis was six. Two per cent said there was no-one they could turn to.
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