Publication - Statistics

The Scottish Health Survey 2011 - volume 3: technical report

Published: 25 September 2012
Topic: Health and social care
ISBN: 9781782561095

Annual Report of the Scottish Health Survey for 2011. Technical Report.

Advance Letters

Dear Sir or Madam

We would like to invite you to take part in the Scottish Health Survey.

This important study collects information about the health and lifestyles of people in Scotland and the things that can affect people's health. This study is the only way the Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland can get this valuable information.

Many organisations use the information from the study including the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland, local Health Boards, universities and charities. They use it to:

help plan health services
look at ways of improving people's health
look at changes in the nation's health over time

In the next few days an interviewer from the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) will call at your address to invite you to take part. They will also be able to explain more about the study. All our interviewers carry an identity card with a photograph that you should ask to see. The study will take place over a number of weeks so if the interviewer calls at a time which does not suit you please let them know and they will call back at a better time.

The name of the interviewer who will be calling is: _________________________________

We hope you will be willing to help us with this important study. We rely on the goodwill and voluntary co-operation of those invited to take part to make the study a success. People who have taken part in the past have found it an enjoyable and interesting experience.

As a way of saying thank you, we have enclosed a £5 voucher which can be spent in a number of different high street shops.

On the back of this letter we have answered some of the questions you may have about the study. If you would like to talk to someone about the study, please use the freephone number 0800 652 4569 and ask for Scottish Health Survey team. If no one is available please leave a message and someone will call you back as soon as possible.

Thank you for your help.

Signature of Lisa Given Senior Researcher

Lisa Given
Senior Researcher

	How did you choose my address? We chose your address from the Postcode Address File using random selection procedures. This file is held by the Post Office and is available to the public.
	What will happen to any information I give? The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland will treat information you give in strict confidence. The results of the study will never include any names or addresses. The information collected is used for statistical and research purposes only and will be dealt with according to the principles of the 1998 Data Protection Act.
	How long will it take? The interview length will vary depending upon a number of factors such as how many people live in your household and how old they are. When the interviewer calls he or she can give you an idea of how long your interview might take, and can then book an appointment at a time that suits you best.
	Who is carrying out the study? The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland have asked the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen), in collaboration with the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London (UCL) and the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow, to carry out the survey. The Scottish Centre for Social Research is a registered charity (Registered Charity No. SC038454). ScotCen, UCL and the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow are independent of all government departments and political parties. The survey has been reviewed by an independent Research Ethics Committee to protect your safety, rights, wellbeing and dignity. This study has been given a favourable opinion by the Cardiff Research Ethics Committee.
	Where can I find out more about the study? The leaflet that came with this letter has some more information about what the survey is for and who uses it. For example it has some findings from surveys in previous years. We hope you find this useful.
	Contact number and contact names If you would like to talk to someone about the study, please call us on freephone 0800 652 4569 (9.30am to 5.30pm) and ask for the Scottish Health Survey team. If no one is available or if you are calling outside office hours then please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Dear Sir or Madam

We would like to invite you to take part in the Scottish Health Survey.

Many organisations use the information from the study including the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland, local Health Boards, universities and charities. They use it to:

help plan health services
look at ways of improving people's health
look at changes in the nation's health over time

The name of the interviewer who will be calling is: _________________________________

As a way of saying thank you, all participating households will be given a £5 voucher which can be spent in a number of different high street shops.

Thank you for your help.

Signature of Lisa Given Senior Researcher

Lisa Given
Senior Researcher

	How did you choose my address? We chose your address from the Postcode Address File using random selection procedures. This file is held by the Post Office and is available to the public.
	What will happen to any information I give? The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland will treat information you give in strict confidence. The results of the study will never include any names or addresses. The information collected is used for statistical and research purposes only and will be dealt with according to the principles of the 1998 Data Protection Act.
	How long will it take? The interview length will vary depending upon a number of factors such as how many people live in your household and how old they are. When the interviewer calls he or she can give you an idea of how long your interview might take, and can then book an appointment at a time that suits you best.
	Who is carrying out the study? The Scottish Government and NHS Health Scotland have asked the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen), in collaboration with the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London (UCL) and the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow, to carry out the survey. The Scottish Centre for Social Research is a registered charity (Registered Charity No. SC038454). ScotCen, UCL and the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow are independent of all government departments and political parties. The survey has been reviewed by an independent Research Ethics Committee to protect your safety, rights, wellbeing and dignity. This study has been given a favourable opinion by the Cardiff Research Ethics Committee.
	Where can I find out more about the study? The leaflet that came with this letter has some more information about what the survey is for and who uses it. For example it has some findings from surveys in previous years. We hope you find this useful.
	Contact number and contact names If you would like to talk to someone about the study, please call us on freephone 0800 652 4569 (9.30am to 5.30pm) and ask for the Scottish Health Survey team. If no one is available or if you are calling outside office hours then please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact

Email: Julie Ramsay

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Advance Letters

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