Public Health Services has today published the 2018 Guernsey and Alderney Wellbeing Survey (previously known as the Guernsey and Alderney Healthy Lifestyle Survey).
The survey, carried out by local company Island Global Research, provides the islands with a rich source of information on the health and wellbeing of our population. The Public Health Team uses this data set to conduct further analysis and compare our results to other jurisdictions. A report on the results and a commentary on what they mean for the islands have been produce and are available to the public from today at www.gov.gg/wellbeingsurveys
Jenny Cataroche, Health of Public Health Intelligence said
"The Guernsey and Alderney Wellbeing Survey 2018 is the seventh in a series of surveys - previously known as the Guernsey and Alderney Healthy Lifestyle Survey -that have been carried out every five years since 1988. The current version was developed by reviewing questions in the past surveys, and adding new items designed to give a broader consideration of wellbeing and the many factors that influence health including:
- care given to others and care received;
- health conditions (including longstanding illness, disability and incontinence);
- use of health services (including flu vaccination and frequency of visits to a GP);
- the affordability of healthcare (including insurance coverage and care foregone due to cost);
- out of home eating;
- use of UV sunbeds;
- e-cigarettes;
- life satisfaction, loneliness, and social inclusion;
- sources of anxiety and stress;
- household finances;
- use of digital and social media; and
- health literacy (including trust in different sources of health information).
Ms Cataroche added
"This survey represents a huge piece of work and provides the States of Guernsey with a rich source of information on the health and wellbeing of our population. Our main aim was to acquire up-to-date information from a representative sample of islanders about their current health status; level of knowledge understanding and practise of factors that contribute to better health; and use of and access to health services. "
Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health said
"The Guernsey and Alderney Wellbeing Survey 2018 has yielded a wealth of information about the health and lifestyles of people living in our islands which we hope will be of use to those involved in directing and making policy for our islands as well as providers of health and care services in the Bailiwick. Some results from the survey are positive, while others are not so positive. The clear and inevitable message is that there is much more work to be done to help improve health and wellbeing for local people. This is a responsibility for all States Committees across Guernsey and Alderney"
