Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2017

1 Indicators

Indicators are used in the National Performance Framework to monitor outcomes. SSCQ collates established national indicators from source surveys to enable more detailed analysis. This chapter defines and outlines the SSCQ indicators and their sources. Source estimates are compared in detail in Annex A.

SSCQ is designed to provide comparisons between smaller population groups, particularly where the source survey is not powerful enough on an annual basis to produce estimates for equalities groups and subnational geographies.

1.1 Self-assessed General Health 

The proportion of adults reporting good or very good general health

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Health Survey.
• Since the baseline year (2008), there has been little change in the national indicator. The level has fluctuated between 73% and 77% over this period.
• The SSCQ shows around three quarters of adults (73.9% ± 0.8%) reported good or very good general health in 2017.
• Table 7 shows no change in the indicator from 2012 or 2016.

1.2 Limiting Long-Term Health Conditions

The proportion of adults reporting a long-term mental or physical health condition that limits their day-to-day activities

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Health Survey.
• Since 2012 the national indicator has been stable at around 32%.
• The SSCQ shows just under a quarter of adults (23.7% ± 0.7%) reported a limiting long-term health condition in 2017.
• The difference between the Scottish Health Survey and SSCQ figures are explained further in Annex A.
• Table 8 shows no change in the indicator from 2012 or 2016.

1.3 Smoking

The proportion of adults who report that they currently smoke cigarettes

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Health Survey.
• The National Indicator of smoking prevalence has decreased from 26% of adults in 2008, to 18% in 2017.
• The SSCQ shows 17.9% ± 0.7% of adults reported being a current smoker in 2017.
• Table 9 shows smoking rates have fallen since both 2012 (-5.8 percentage points) and 2016 (-1.6 percentage points).

1.4 Mental Wellbeing

• The national indicator based on WEMWBS at Scotland level is from the Scottish Health Survey. Section 6.8 provides more details on how WEMWBS differs from the shorter SWEMWBS questionnaire.
• The mean WEMWBS score was 50.0 in 2008, and has remained at a similar level since (ranging between 49.7 and 50.0).

Average SWEMWBS score

• The SSCQ shows the average mental wellbeing (SWEMWBS) score was 24.2 ± 0.1 in 2017.
• The difference between the Scottish Health Survey and SSCQ figures are explained further in Annex A.
• Table 10 shows mental wellbeing has fallen by a score of 0.2 since 2014. 

1.5 Provision of Unpaid Care

The proportion of adults who provide help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others because of long-term physical or mental health issues, disability or old age

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS).
• In 2017, SHeS estimated the level of unpaid care at 15%.
• The SSCQ estimate is 17.4% ± 0.7 in 2017.
• Table 11 shows unpaid care provision has not changed since 2014 or 2016.

1.6 Perception of Crime in Local Area

Excluding those who have lived in the neighbourhood for less than two years, the proportion of adults reporting crime in their local area to be ‘a lot less’, ‘a little less’ or ‘about the same’

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS).
• The SCJS 2017-18 found that 73% of adults reported that crime in their area had decreased or stayed the same in the past two years.
• The SSCQ estimate is 75.2% ± 0.8% in 2017. 
• Table 12 shows this measure has decreased from 2016 by 2.3 percentage points but shows no significant change from 2012.
• Those who have lived in the neighbourhood for less than two years are excluded, and for this reason the sample base and population is lower than for other crime indicators.

1.7 Confidence in the Police

The proportion of adults reporting that they are ‘very confident’ or ‘fairly confident’ in the ability of Police to perform a given function

• The national indicator at Scotland level is from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS), which provides a time series back to 2008-09.
• The SCJS 2017-18 found that the proportion of people who were very or fairly confident in the ability of the police ranged between the six domains from 53% (A: to prevent crime) to 69% (D: to investigate incidents after they occur).
• Table 17 and Table 18 show confidence in the ability of the police to (E) solve crimes and to (F) catch criminals have increased from 2012 at the national level. Increasing by 1.5 and 1.4 percentage points respectively.
• Table 15 shows the proportion of adults who had confidence in the police to deal with incidents as they occur (C) has fallen 1.6 percentage points since 2012 to 67% in 2017.