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3 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

3.1 This chapter describes the demographic profile of the 1,177 respondents to the survey. For comparison purposes, and where possible, data from the previous waves of the survey are also provided.

3.2 Respondents were aged between 16 and 96 years, with an average age of 47 years. Table 3.1 shows the demographic sex/age profile of the respondents and compares it to that achieved in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 surveys. As in those previous surveys, the 2008 survey over-represented older people and under-represented young people.

Table 3.1: Age and sex

3.3 Sixty-seven per cent of the respondents had no children (under 16) in their household. Fifteen per cent had one child (under 16), 13% had two and 5% had three or more. Again, these figures are in line with those from the previous ' Well?' surveys.

3.4 The majority of respondents described themselves as White, Scottish (83%) and 15% assigned themselves to another White category. The remainder of the sample assigned themselves to non-white categories, as illustrated in table 3.2. Data for previous waves of the survey are not provided as the question wording and response options were slightly altered for the 2008 survey in line with the new Scottish Census ethnicity question.

Table 3.2: Ethnicity

3.5 Four per cent of respondents said that their annual gross household income was less than £5,200 per annum. Twenty per cent said it was between £5,200 and £15,599 per annum while a similar proportion said £15,600 to £25,999 (23%) or £36,400 or more per annum (21%). Thirty per cent of respondents did not provide this information - 13% said they did not know their household income and 17% refused to disclose this information (table 3.3).

3.6 Average gross household income for the sample was £25,700 per annum ⁷, which is higher than the figure from ' Well?' 2006 (£22,192). However, in large part, this difference reflects the fact that the banded response categories were amended for the 2008 survey to reflect changes in earnings.

Table 3.3: Annual household income

3.7 When asked how easy or difficult they found it to manage on their household's income, 45% of respondents said they found it easy, while 35% said they found it manageable, and 16% said they found it difficult (table 3.4). Thus, whereas between 2002 and 2006 there was a move towards people finding it easier to manage on their household income, the trend has since reversed. This is likely to reflect the fact that the survey fieldwork was conducted during a period of economic slowdown characterised by a falling housing market and rising food and fuel prices.

Table 3.4: Ease of managing on household income

3.8 Around half (54%) of respondents were in paid work while around a quarter (23%) were retired. Seven per cent were in full time education, 6% were long term sick or disabled, 4% were registered unemployed or signing on for Job Seekers Allowance ( JSA), and 4% were at home or not seeking work. These findings are consistent with those from previous waves of the survey (table 3.5).

Table 3.5: Working status

3.9 Twenty-eight per cent of respondents said that they had a degree or professional qualification. Twelve per cent said they had an HNC, HND or equivalent, while 34% said they had achieved a Higher, A level or equivalent and 55% had achieved an O Grade, Standard Grade or equivalent. Around a quarter (23%) said that they had no qualifications. Data for previous waves is not provided as the question wording and response options were changed for the 2008 survey to reflect the Scottish Government's new harmonised qualifications question (table 3.6).

Table 3.6: Qualifications

3.10 While the sample was once again distributed proportionate to the population among NHS Board areas, its urban/rural profile differed somewhat to that of both the 2007 Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) and previous waves of the 'Well?' survey. Specifically, a lower proportion in the present sample lived in 'other urban areas' (band 2), while a higher proportion lived in accessible rural areas (band 5) (table 3.7).

Table 3.7: Urban/rural composition

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