Health, care and social relations, survey on living conditions

Long standing health problem/illness. Disease or health problem that have lasted for 6 months or longer or a state that is expected to be permanent.

Health problem that affects everyday life. In 2012 and earlier years the questionnaire spesified that health problems should include all kinds of problems: pain, anxiety, sleeping problems, fatigue, limitations in what one can do. In 2015 and in 2019 there was no such spesification.

Diagnostic groups. In 2012 and earlier years diseases and health problems were coded according til ICD-10 classification. See the documentation reports (links below) about the disease classification. In 2015 and 2019 respondents were asked about 16 specified types of diseases.

Depressive symptoms. As of 2015 a measure of depression symptoms was used. This is an index called PHQ8, which is recommended by Eurostat, and is based on 8 questions about depressive symptoms during the last 14 days. Depressive symtoms are calculated as having 2 or more symptoms for in more than half of the days in the 14-days period.

In 2012 and before mental health was defined as a score 1.75 or higher on HSCL-25. THe measure is based on a list of questions called the "Hopkins Symptom Check List". This is a list of 25 question about different symptoms on mental problems. Ten of the questions capture anxiety and fifteen questions capture depression. The answer catagories range from not bothered at all to very bothered. The scores from 1 to 4 is summed for all 25 questions. The sum is divided with the number of questions. People with a score 1.75 or higher are seen as having considerable mental health problems. As of 2015 a shorter version is used, containing 5 questions and where a score of 2 or higher are seen as having mental health problems.

Symptoms and pains. Small changes in the wording of the question may have lead to more respondents reporting pains during the last 3 months in 2015 compared to earlier surveys. The sentence "Only lasting or recurring pains should be counted...," was read to all in previous data collections, while in 2015 the interviewer could read this if the respondent was in doubt. The subordinate clause "...do not count temporary pains for instance related to colds." which was part of the question in previous surveys, was not included in 2015. In the 2019 survey, the sentence "only lasting recurring pains should be counted" was read to everybody again.

High alcohol consumption. People are registered with a high alcohol consumption if they drink alcohol twice a week or more often.

BMI (body mass index): Self-reported weight divided by height in square meters.

Redused physical mobility. People that are unable to walk up or down a flight of stairs without resting or that is unable to walk for 5 minutes in a quick pace.

Participation. These questions were not asked in 2015 or 2019. In 2012 and previous years it was defined as difficulty moving around inside the dwelling, using public communication, participate in leisure activities or involve in social relations. People that answer that this is difficult, very difficult or not possible.

Reduced working capacity. Not registered in 2015 or 2019. In 2012 and earlier years this included people that had reported an illness, injury or impairment are asked if the health problem lead to limitations in their capacity to have or to hold paid employment.

In need of help. People that are unable to do groceryshopping or cleaning own dwelling without assistance. The questions are posed to people 67 years (in 2015 65) or older or to people with a health problem regardless of age. In the 2019 survey, the age limit was lowered, so that the questions went to everyone who was 55 years or older. (But this questions no longer go to younger people with health problems.)

In need of care. People that are unable to dress or undress or take care of personal hygiene without assistance.

Households with persons in need of help or care . People that are living alone and in need of help and people in households with more than one person that say that there are persons in need of care or that need help to manage everyday tasks due to illness, impairment, injury or old age.

Receiving unpaid help on a regular basis. Help is spesified as practical help or care for sick, disabled or elderly people outside the household. The percentage that are giving help to parents is calculated on basis of those that still have their parents alive.

Age

Persons are grouped by age at year-end for the completion of the main part of the interview.

Region

The regions include the following counties:

Oslo and Akershus

Eastern Norway: excluding Oslo and Akershus: Østfold, Vestfold, Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud and Telemark, Agder and Rogaland:

Agder og Rogaland: Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder and Rogaland

Western Norway: Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Møre and Romsdal,

Trøndelag: Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag,

Northern Norway: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark.

Area of residence

Persons are grouped according to sparsely populated areas or densely populated areas of different sizes. Sparsely populated areas include clusters of houses with less than 200 inhabitants. Densely populated areas include areas with 200 inhabitants or more, and a distance between houses - as a main rule - not more than 50 meters.

Family cycle phase

Persons are grouped mainly by age, marital status and whether the person has children. There is a distinction between singles and couples, where couples include both married and cohabitants. The concept single persons do not necessarily refer to persons living alone in the household.

The groups with children consist of persons living with their own child(ren) (including stepchildren and adopted children) aged 0-19 years in the household.

Educational level

Highest level of attained education divided in three levels; basic, secondary and tertiary education.