Eurostat

The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) aims at measuring on a harmonised basis and with a high degree of comparability among Member States (MS) the health status (including disability), health determinants (including environment) and use and limitations in access to health care services of the EU citizens. The general coverage of the survey is the population aged 15 or over living in private households residing in the territory of the country. EHIS was developed between 2003 and 2006. It consists of four modules on health status, health determinants, health care, and background variables. The first wave of EHIS (EHIS wave 1 or EHIS round 2008) was conducted between 2006 and 2009 in 17 EU Member States as well as Switzerland and Turkey. The second wave (EHIS wave 2 or EHIS round 2014) was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. Some other countries conducted their national health interview surveys using the second wave of EHIS questionnaire such as Turkey or Serbia. EHIS includes the following topics: Health status This topic includes different dimensions of health status and health-related activity limitations:General health status (Minimum European health module): self-perceived health, chronic morbidity and activity limitationDisease-specific morbidityAccidents and injuriesHealth-related absenteeism from workPhysical and sensory functional limitationsDifficulties in personal care activities / activities of daily living (such as eating and washing) and help received/neededHousehold activities / Instrumental activities of daily living (such as preparing meals and shopping) and help received/neededPainAspect of mental health (psychological distress and mental well-being in the first wave, depressive symptoms in the second wave)Work-related health problems (only in the first wave). Health care This topic covers the use of different types of medicines and formal and informal health and social care services, which are complemented by data on health-related expenditure, and limitations in access to and satisfaction with health care services:Hospitalisation (in-patient and day care)Consultations with doctors and dentistsVisits to specific health professionals (such as physiotherapists or psychologists)Use of home care and home help servicesUse of medicines (prescribed and non-prescribed)Healthcare preventive actions (such as influenza vaccination, breast examination, cervical smear test and blood tests)Unmet needs for health careOut-of-pocket payments for medical care (only in the first wave)Satisfaction with services provided by healthcare providers (only in the first wave)Visits to specific categories of alternative medicine practitioners (only in the first wave). Health determinants This topic includes various individual and environmental health determinants:Height and weightPhysical activity/exerciseConsumption of fruits, vegetables and juiceSmoking behaviour and exposure to tobacco smokeAlcohol consumptionSocial supportProvision of informal care or assistance (only in the second wave)Illicit drug use (only in the first wave)Environment (home and workplace exposures, criminality exposure) (only in the first wave). Background variables on demography and socio-economic status. All indicators are expressed as percentages within the population and statistics are broken down by age and sex and one other dimension such as educational attainment level, income quintile group or labour status. Additional breakdowns such as country of birth, country of citizenship, activity limitation are planned to be used.

The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) aims at measuring on a harmonised basis and with a high degree of comparability among MS the health status, lifestyle (health determinants) and health care services use of the EU citizens. The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) was developed between 2003 and 2006, during a process in which all the EU Member States (MS) were largely involved. It consists of four modules on health status, health care, health determinants, and background variables. Those modules may be implemented at the national level either as one specific survey or as elements of existing surveys (i.e. national health interview survey, labour force survey, other household surveys). The final version of the questionnaire for the first wave of EHIS was adopted by the MS at the Working Group on Public Health Statistics in November 2006. The survey contained around 130 questions split among the four modules covering the following topics: Background variables on demography and socio-economic status Health status: Minimum European Health Module (MEHM): self-perceived health, chronic health problems and activity limitationDisease specific morbidityAccidents and injuriesWork-related health problemsHealth related absenteeism from workPhysical and sensory functional limitationsActivities of daily living (ADL - feeding, bathing, etc.) and help receivedInstrumental activities of daily living (IADL - preparing meals, shopping, etc.) and help receivedPainAspect of mental health (psychological distress and mental well-being) Health care: Hospitalisation (inpatient and day care)Consultations with doctors and dentistsUnmet needs for hospitalization and for consultation with a specialistVisits to specific non-medical health professionalsVisits to specific categories of alternative medicine practitionersUse of home care and home help servicesSatisfaction with services provided by health care providersUse of medicines (prescribed and non-prescribed)Health care preventive actions (influenza vaccination, breast examination, cervical smear test, blood tests, etc.)Out-of-pocket payments for medical care (self-completion form) Health determinants: Height and weightPhysical activityConsumption of fruits, vegetables and juiceEnvironnent (home and workplace exposures, criminality exposure, social support)Smoking behaviour and exposure to tobacco smoke (self-completion form)Alcohol consumption (self-completion form)Illicit drug use (self-completion form). The first wave of the EHIS was implemented during the period 2006-2009 under a gentlemen's agreement. Nineteen countries have carried out it: 2006: AT, EE2007: SI, CH2008: BE, BG, CZ, CY, FR, LV, MT, RO, TR2009: DE, EL, ES, HU, PL, SK. Germany provided aggregated data and for breakdowns with a strata size less than 20, the values were marked as confidential (flag ~c). No data have been received for Switzerland. In total, 26 indicators based on DG SANCO and DG EMPL needs and covering health status, health determinants and health care are disseminated on Eurostat website. For more information on indicators see document EHIS indicators guidelines.   The indicators present distribution percentages and are calculated with different breakdown according to the indicator: sex, age group (10-years intervals, 15 – 24, 25 – 34, …, 75 – 84, 85 or over) and educational attainment levels (ISCED0-2, ISCED3-4, ISCED5-6);sex, age group (18-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75 or over) and income quintiles. For example: 4.5 % of Latvian women aged 25-34 are obese (BMI is equal or greater than 30). Records with missing values on age and sex were excluded from the calculation of indicators.   Most of the indicators are worked out for the population aged 15 or over. Nevertheless, for some specific indicators, frequencies are calculated on different populations: the Body Mass Index (BMI) (tables hlth_ehis_de1 and hlth_ehis_de2) is calculated for adults only (18+);the self-reported prevalence of high blood pressure (table hlth_ehis_st1) is computed for people aged 25+;the self-reported vaccination against influenza (table hlth_ehis_hc1) is computed for people aged 65+;the self-reported breast examination by X-ray (table hlth_ehis_hc2) is computed for women aged 50-69;the self-reported cervical smear test (table hlth_ehis_hc3) is computed for women aged 20-69;the self-reported colorectal cancer screening test (table hlth_ehis_hc4) is computed for people aged 50-74.

The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) aims at measuring on a harmonised basis and with a high degree of comparability among Member States (MS) the health status (including disability), health determinants (including environment) and use and limitations in access to health care services of the EU citizens. The general coverage of the survey is the population aged 15 or over living in private households residing in the territory of the country. EHIS was developed between 2003 and 2006. It consists of four modules on health status, health determinants, health care, and background variables. The first wave of EHIS (EHIS wave 1 or EHIS round 2008) was conducted between 2006 and 2009 in 17 EU Member States as well as Switzerland and Turkey. The second wave (EHIS wave 2 or EHIS round 2014) was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. Some other countries conducted their national health interview surveys using the second wave of EHIS questionnaire such as Turkey or Serbia. EHIS includes the following topics: Health status This topic includes different dimensions of health status and health-related activity limitations: General health status (Minimum European health module): self-perceived health, chronic morbidity and activity limitationDisease-specific morbidityAccidents and injuriesHealth-related absenteeism from workPhysical and sensory functional limitationsDifficulties in personal care activities / activities of daily living (such as eating and washing) and help received/neededHousehold activities / Instrumental activities of daily living (such as preparing meals and shopping) and help received/neededPainAspect of mental health (psychological distress and mental well-being in the first wave, depressive symptoms in the second wave)Work-related health problems (only in the first wave).Health care This topic covers the use of different types of medicines and formal and informal health and social care services, which are complemented by data on health-related expenditure, and limitations in access to and satisfaction with health care services: Hospitalisation (in-patient and day care)Consultations with doctors and dentistsVisits to specific health professionals (such as physiotherapists or psychologists)Use of home care and home help servicesUse of medicines (prescribed and non-prescribed)Healthcare preventive actions (such as influenza vaccination, breast examination, cervical smear test and blood tests)Unmet needs for health careOut-of-pocket payments for medical care (only in the first wave)Satisfaction with services provided by healthcare providers (only in the first wave)Visits to specific categories of alternative medicine practitioners (only in the first wave).Health determinants This topic includes various individual and environmental health determinants: Height and weightPhysical activity/exerciseConsumption of fruits, vegetables and juiceSmoking behaviour and exposure to tobacco smokeAlcohol consumptionSocial supportProvision of informal care or assistance (only in the second wave)Illicit drug use (only in the first wave)Environment (home and workplace exposures, criminality exposure) (only in the first wave).Background variables on demography and socio-economic status. All indicators are expressed as percentages within the population and statistics are broken down by age and sex and one other dimension such as educational attainment level, income quintile group or labour status. Additional breakdowns such as country of birth, country of citizenship, activity limitation are planned to be used.

The indicator measures the share of the population aged 15 years and over who report that they currently smoke boxed cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or a pipe. The data does not include use of other tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes and snuff. The data are collected through a Eurobarometer survey and are based on self-reports during face-to-face interviews in people’s homes.

The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) aims at measuring on a harmonised basis and with a high degree of comparability among MS the health status, lifestyle (health determinants) and health care services use of the EU citizens. The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) was developed between 2003 and 2006, during a process in which all the EU Member States (MS) were largely involved. It consists of four modules on health status, health care, health determinants, and background variables. Those modules may be implemented at the national level either as one specific survey or as elements of existing surveys (i.e. national health interview survey, labour force survey, other household surveys). The final version of the questionnaire for the first wave of EHIS was adopted by the MS at the Working Group on Public Health Statistics in November 2006. The survey contained around 130 questions split among the four modules covering the following topics: Background variables on demography and socio-economic status Health status: Minimum European Health Module (MEHM): self-perceived health, chronic health problems and activity limitationDisease specific morbidityAccidents and injuriesWork-related health problemsHealth related absenteeism from workPhysical and sensory functional limitationsActivities of daily living (ADL - feeding, bathing, etc.) and help receivedInstrumental activities of daily living (IADL - preparing meals, shopping, etc.) and help receivedPainAspect of mental health (psychological distress and mental well-being) Health care: Hospitalisation (inpatient and day care)Consultations with doctors and dentistsUnmet needs for hospitalization and for consultation with a specialistVisits to specific non-medical health professionalsVisits to specific categories of alternative medicine practitionersUse of home care and home help servicesSatisfaction with services provided by health care providersUse of medicines (prescribed and non-prescribed)Health care preventive actions (influenza vaccination, breast examination, cervical smear test, blood tests, etc.)Out-of-pocket payments for medical care (self-completion form) Health determinants: Height and weightPhysical activityConsumption of fruits, vegetables and juiceEnvironnent (home and workplace exposures, criminality exposure, social support)Smoking behaviour and exposure to tobacco smoke (self-completion form)Alcohol consumption (self-completion form)Illicit drug use (self-completion form). The first wave of the EHIS was implemented during the period 2006-2009 under a gentlemen's agreement. Nineteen countries have carried out it: 2006: AT, EE2007: SI, CH2008: BE, BG, CZ, CY, FR, LV, MT, RO, TR2009: DE, EL, ES, HU, PL, SK. Germany provided aggregated data and for breakdowns with a strata size less than 20, the values were marked as confidential (flag ~c). No data have been received for Switzerland. In total, 26 indicators based on DG SANCO and DG EMPL needs and covering health status, health determinants and health care are disseminated on Eurostat website. For more information on indicators see document EHIS indicators guidelines.   The indicators present distribution percentages and are calculated with different breakdown according to the indicator: sex, age group (10-years intervals, 15 – 24, 25 – 34, …, 75 – 84, 85 or over) and educational attainment levels (ISCED0-2, ISCED3-4, ISCED5-6);sex, age group (18-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75 or over) and income quintiles. For example: 4.5 % of Latvian women aged 25-34 are obese (BMI is equal or greater than 30). Records with missing values on age and sex were excluded from the calculation of indicators.   Most of the indicators are worked out for the population aged 15 or over. Nevertheless, for some specific indicators, frequencies are calculated on different populations: the Body Mass Index (BMI) (tables hlth_ehis_de1 and hlth_ehis_de2) is calculated for adults only (18+);the self-reported prevalence of high blood pressure (table hlth_ehis_st1) is computed for people aged 25+;the self-reported vaccination against influenza (table hlth_ehis_hc1) is computed for people aged 65+;the self-reported breast examination by X-ray (table hlth_ehis_hc2) is computed for women aged 50-69;the self-reported cervical smear test (table hlth_ehis_hc3) is computed for women aged 20-69;the self-reported colorectal cancer screening test (table hlth_ehis_hc4) is computed for people aged 50-74.