Scottish Health Survey: local area results 2012-2015 combined

Summary of results

Self-assessed general health

The proportion of adults who rate their general health to be good or very good was significantly lower in Dumfries & Galloway (69%), Ayrshire & Arran (70%) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (71%) than in Scotland as a whole (74%, with the same proportion for both men and women). In Orkney (82%), Grampian (79%) and Lothian (78%), the proportion in good or very good health was significantly higher than the estimate for Scotland.

WEMWBS

The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale ( WEMWBS) is used to measure mental wellbeing. The mean score for adults in Scotland in 2012-2015 was 50.0, and was significantly higher for men (50.2) than for women (49.8). Those living in Ayrshire & Arran (49.3) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (49.4) had significantly lower mean scores than the Scotland estimate. The mean score in Dumfries & Galloway (48.8) was not significantly different to the Scottish average due to the small sample size. Mean scores were significantly higher than the Scottish average for residents of Highland (51.1), Western Isles (51.1) and Grampian (50.6).

General Health Questionnaire ( GHQ-12) scores

The General Health Questionnaire ( GHQ-12) is used to identify individuals showing signs of the presence of a possible psychiatric disorder (as indicated by scores of four or higher). In Orkney (9%), Grampian (12%) and Western Isles (12%), the proportion with scores of 4+ was significantly lower than the proportion in Scotland as a whole (15%). The proportion of adults with scores of 4+ in Glasgow (18%) was significantly higher than in Scotland as a whole. Borders had the same proportion of 4+ scorers as Glasgow, although this result was not significantly higher than the Scotland estimate due to the smaller sample size. In Scotland overall, significantly more women than men had a score of 4+ (17% compared to 13%).

Long-term conditions

A significantly lower proportion of adults in Grampian (26%) and Lothian (28%) reported a limiting condition compared to Scotland overall (32%), while this proportion was significantly higher in Ayrshire & Arran (43%). A significantly higher proportion of Scottish women (34%) than men (29%) reported a long-term condition that limited their daily activities in some way.

Alcohol consumption

In the period 2012-2015, the proportion of adults who drank outwith government guidelines on weekly alcohol consumption ^[1] was significantly lower than the national average (26%) in Western Isles (19%), Dumfries & Galloway (21%) and Tayside (22%). In Lothian, 30% of adults drank outwith weekly guidelines- a significantly higher proportion than across Scotland as a whole. In all health boards, a significantly higher proportion of men than women drank outwith the guidelines.

Dumfries & Galloway residents reported the lowest mean number of units consumed among drinkers on a weekly basis (11.2), with Forth Valley and Lothian reporting the highest (both 13.6), however none of these were significantly different to the Scottish average (12.7). Male drinkers reported significantly higher weekly mean units than their female counterparts in every board.

Smoking

Around 22% of adults were regular smokers between 2012 and 2015, with prevalence significantly higher among men than women (23% of men, 21% of women). The proportion of regular smokers was lowest in Orkney (18%) and highest in Tayside (25%), although only the proportion in Grampian (20%) was significantly different to the Scotland figure.

Overweight (including obesity) ^[2]

In Scotland, 65% of individuals were overweight or obese, with the figure for men (69%) significantly higher than that for women (61%). Results for a number of boards were significantly different to the Scotland figure. These included lower results for Lothian (59%) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (62%), and higher results for Ayrshire & Arran (70%), Lanarkshire (70%), Orkney (71%) and Western Isles (73%).

Obesity ^[3]

In 2012-2015, obesity rates were significantly lower in Lothian (23%) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (25%) compared to the Scottish average (28%). The rates for adults in Fife (31%), Lanarkshire (33%), Ayrshire & Arran (34%), Orkney (36%) and Western Isles (36%), were significantly higher than for Scotland overall. At Scotland level, the obesity rate for women (29%) was significantly higher than the rate for men (27%).

Fruit and vegetable consumption

The proportion of adults consuming the recommended five portions (or more) of fruit and vegetables per day was significantly lower than across Scotland as a whole (21%) among Lanarkshire (17%) and Ayrshire & Arran residents (18%). The proportion in Fife and Lothian (both 24%) was significantly higher than the Scotland figure.

Adults in Ayrshire & Arran and Lanarkshire consumed significantly lower mean portions of fruit and vegetables per day (2.9) compared to the Scottish mean (3.2 portions). The number was significantly higher in Fife (3.3) and Lothian (3.4) compared to the national average, while at Scotland level men consumed significantly more portions (3.3) compared to women (3.1).

Physical activity

In 2012-2014, the lowest proportion of adults meeting the physical activity guidelines was observed in Dumfries & Galloway and Ayrshire & Arran (both 60%), while the highest proportion was in Lothian (66%). However, due to sample sizes, only the Ayshire & Arran proportion was significantly different to that of Scotland (63%). Men in Scotland were significantly more likely to meet the guideline (68%) than women (58%).

Cardiovascular ( CVD) conditions

The proportion of individuals reporting a doctor-diagnosed CVD condition was significantly higher than the Scottish average of 16% in Ayshire & Arran (19%). The rate was not significantly lower than the Scottish average in any board. At Scotland level, men were significantly more likely to have a CVD condition (17%) than women (15%).