Tolonen, H;
Koponen, P;
Mindell, J;
Männistö, S;
Kuulasmaa, K;
(2013)
European Health Examination Survey--towards a sustainable monitoring system.
European Journal of Public Health
, Online
10.1093/eurpub/ckt107.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health examination surveys (HESs), including both questionnaire and physical measurements, and in most cases also collection of biological samples, can provide objective health indicators. This information complements data from health interview surveys and administrative registers, and is important for evidence-based planning of health policies and prevention activities. HESs are valuable data sources for research. The first national HESs in Europe were conducted in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They have recently been carried out in an increasing number of countries, but there has been no joint standardization between the countries. METHODS: The European Health Examination Survey Pilot Project was conducted in 2009-2012. The European Health Examination Survey Pilot Reference Centre was established and pilot surveys were conducted in 12 countries. RESULTS: European standardized protocols for key measurements on main chronic disease risk factors (height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting glucose or HbA1c) were prepared. European-level training and external quality assessment were organized. Although the level of earlier experience, infrastructures, economic status and cultural settings varied between the pilot countries, it was possible to standardize measurements of HESs across the populations. Obtaining high participation rates was challenging. CONCLUSION: HESs provide high-quality and representative population data to support policy decisions and research. For future national HESs, centralized coordination, training and external quality assessment are needed to ensure comparability of the results. Further studies on effects of different survey methods on comparability of the results and on recruitment and motivation of survey participants are needed.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | European Health Examination Survey--towards a sustainable monitoring system. |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1093/eurpub/ckt107 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckt107 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in European Journal of Public Health following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Eur J Public Health (2013) is available online at: doi: http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/07/18/eurpub.ckt107 |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Epidemiology and Public Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1405117 |
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