Scottish Health Survey 2016: local area results 2013-16 combined

Summary of results for NHS Boards

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, and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (both 70%) than in Scotland as a whole (74%). In Orkney (83%), Lothian (79%), and Grampian (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 2013-2016 was 49.9, and while the mean score was higher for men (50.1) than for women (49.9), this difference was not statistically significant. Those living in Ayrshire & Arran (49.2) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (49.3) had significantly lower mean scores than the Scotland estimate. Mean scores were significantly higher than the Scottish average for residents of Western Isles (51.2), Highland (51.1), and Grampian (50.7).

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 and Grampian (both 12%) the proportion with scores of 4+ was significantly lower than the proportion in Scotland as a whole (16%). The proportion of adults with scores of 4+ in Greater Glasgow & Clyde (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 14%).

Long-term conditions

A significantly lower proportion of adults in Grampian and Lothian (both 27%) reported a limiting condition compared to Scotland overall (32%), while this proportion was significantly higher in Ayrshire & Arran (44%) and Western Isles (36%). A significantly higher proportion of Scottish women (34%) than men (30%) reported a long-term condition that limited their daily activities in some way.

Alcohol consumption

In the period 2013-2016, the proportion of adults who exceeded government guidelines on weekly alcohol consumption ^[1] was significantly lower than the national average (25%) in Western Isles and Tayside (both 21%). In Lothian and Forth Valley, 30% of adults exceeded the 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 exceeded the weekly guidelines.

Tayside residents reported the lowest mean number of units consumed among drinkers on a weekly basis (10.8), while Lothian reported the highest (13.7), however neither of these were significantly different from the Scottish average (12.6). Male drinkers reported significantly higher weekly mean units than their female counterparts in every board.

Smoking

An estimated 21% of adults were regular smokers between 2013 and 2016, with prevalence significantly higher among men than women (23% of men, 20% of women). The proportion of regular smokers was lowest in Orkney (17%) although this was not significantly lower than the Scotland figure. However, the highest proportion - Greater Glasgow & Clyde (24%) - 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 (60%) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (62%), and higher results for Ayrshire & Arran, Lanarkshire (both 70%), Western Isles (71%), Orkney, and Shetland (both 72%).

Obesity ^[3]

In 2013-2016, obesity rates were significantly lower in Lothian (24%) and Greater Glasgow & Clyde (26%) compared to the Scottish average (28%). The rates for adults in Fife, Lanarkshire (both 32%), Ayrshire & Arran, Western Isles (both 34%), and Shetland (38%) 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 (15%). The proportion in Lothian (25%) was significantly higher than the Scotland figure. At Scotland level, the proportion consuming the recommended five portions (or more) was significantly higher for women (22%) than men (20%).

The mean portions of fruit and vegetables consumed per day in Ayrshire & Arran (2.7) and Lanarkshire (2.9) was significantly lower than the Scottish mean (3.1 portions). The number was significantly higher in Lothian (3.5) compared to the national average, while at Scotland level women consumed significantly more portions (3.3) compared to men (3.0).

Physical activity

In 2013-2016, 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 (67%). However, due to sample sizes, only the Ayrshire & Arran and Lothian proportions were significantly different to that of Scotland (64%). Men in Scotland were significantly more likely to meet the guideline (69%) than women (59%).

Cardiovascular ( CVD) conditions

The proportion of individuals reporting a doctor-diagnosed CVD condition was significantly higher than the Scottish average of 16% in Ayrshire & Arran (19%). The rate was lower than the Scottish average in Lothian and Shetland (both 13%), but only in Lothian was the difference statistically significant. At Scotland level, men were significantly more likely to have a CVD condition (16%) than women (15%).