STRUCTURE AND BACKGROUND TO THE 2014-15 NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY
The 2014-15 National Health Survey was conducted between 6 July 2014 and 4 July 2015. It is the seventh comprehensive national survey in a series of regular population surveys designed to obtain national benchmark information on a range of health-related issues and to enable the monitoring of trends in health over time.
Previous surveys in the series were conducted in 1989-90, 1995, 2001, 2004-05, 2007-08 and 2011-12 (as part of the AHS). Health surveys conducted by the ABS in 1977-78 and 1983, while not part of the NHS series, also collected similar information. In addition, a range of other ABS surveys on health and related issues have been conducted at the national level and for individual states and territories.
The 2014-15 NHS was conducted in all states and territories and across urban, rural and remote areas of Australia (other than very remote areas) and included around 19,000 people in nearly 15,000 private dwellings. The sample was designed to ensure that within each state or territory, each person had an equal chance of selection and that reliable estimates could be produced for each state and territory. Information was obtained about one adult and one child aged 0-17 years in each selected household.
Trained ABS interviewers conducted a face-to-face interview with the selected adult member of the household. Parental consent to interview persons aged 15-17 years was sought, however some parents preferred to answer survey questions on their children's behalf. A parent or guardian was asked to answer questions on behalf of all children aged less than 15 years. This person is referred to as the child proxy throughout this publication, and in other outputs from the survey.
The survey focused on the health status of Australians and health-related aspects of their lifestyles. Information was collected about respondents' long-term health conditions, consultations with health professionals, and other actions recently taken in regard to their health (e.g. days away from work and medication use). Information was also collected on lifestyle factors which may affect health, such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, usual fruit and vegetable intake, exercise and physical measurements (height and weight used to calculate Body Mass Index, waist circumference and blood pressure).
A dress rehearsal of the 2014-15 NHS was conducted in South Australia in November/December 2013.
| First results from the 2014-15 NHS were published in National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15 (cat. no. 4364.0.55.001), released on 8 December 2015. State and territory results were published as an update to the First Results in on 23 March 2016.
See Release schedule for a timetable of product releases from the 2014-15 National Health Survey. |
Print Page
Print All