A
Report from the Health and Social Wellbeing Survey 1997
- Northern Ireland
Synopsis:
This report
is based on the 1997 Northern Ireland Health and Social
Wellbeing Survey. It looks at levels of risk
factors for disease, physical measures of health and
lifestyle issues. It is a reflection of health status
among adults aged over 16 in Northern Ireland. We have
surprisingly lower levels of some risk factors for
disease than other areas in Great Britain; for example
levels of high blood pressure or alcohol intake. In
other risk factors, especially being overweight or
obese, there appears to be a picture of ill health that
not only presents problems for the current health status
but may also lead to high levels of disease in future.
In most, if not all, reports of prevalence of diseases
or risk factors, there is a marked social gradient. Ill
health remains inextricably linked with levels of income
whether that is measured by social groupings or
employment status. This is again the case with the
results of this survey.
The information contained in this report will be of use
to a wide range of people. Those who plan health
services, target resources, work to promote health and
reduce ill health. We acknowledge all those who worked
to develop, carry out and analyse the survey. However
any errors of reporting or analysis are the
responsibility of the authors: B. Gaffney1, V. Gribbin2,
K. Sweeney3, J. Yarnell4.
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