Tekijät

• Paronen, Olavi (UKK Institute)

Asiasanat

ability evaluation, exercise (physical activity), health, health services, need for help, neighbourhoods, personal safety, physical mobility, sleep, sleep disorders, social services

Sisällön kuvaus

The survey charted the general health, functional ability, and need for help of people living in the city of Tampere (Finland). Other main themes included exercise habits, sleeping habits and problems, use of and satisfaction with social and health services, perceptions of the neighbourhood, and sense of safety and security. Previous surveys were carried out in 1990, 1993 1996, 1999 and 2002.

The respondents were asked about their general health, whether they had a disability, injury or long-standing illness, whether that disability/injury/illness limited their daily activities or work, whether they have certain illnesses, symptoms and risk factors (e.g. high level of cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension or overweight) diagnosed by a doctor, and whether they had suffered lately from mental problems or symptoms such as insomnia, sense of loneliness, sense of distress. One question explored the respondents' functional ability by asking about their capability to perform various daily tasks, such as walking for two kilometres, cleaning the house and climbing stairs.

In connection with exercise habits, the respondents were asked how much and what kind of exercise they take in their free time and whether they walk or cycle daily. They were asked whether they have discussed the necessity of taking exercise with a doctor or a nurse and whether they had been recommended to exercise more. The survey also charted respondents' weight and height. Some questions focused on sleeping problems, average hours of sleep per night, and how many hours of sleep they needed to feel vigorous during the day. One question explored whether the respondents had made any changes in their habits such as increasing the amount of exercise, reducing alcohol use, stopping smoking, losing weight etc.

The survey investigated whether the respondents needed help and for what (e.g. for shopping or for washing themselves), from whom they had received help, and whether the respondents themselves regularly helped someone else.

Use of health services was charted by asking about hospitalization spells and visits to a doctor, a dentist or a nurse. Use of phone and Internet services (online services) provided by the municipal health services were also investigated. Opinions on and satisfaction with the health and social services in Tampere were surveyed with a number of questions. Use of social services was charted by asking about the use of different services. The survey also covered opinions on financing the social and health services, the adequacy of services and which bodies should produce them.

Perceptions of safety and security were charted by asking about how safe the respondents felt being outside in their neighbourhood in the evening, whether they had experienced violence or threats of violence in their neighbourhood, and what kinds of other problems there were (e.g. noise, pollution). The respondents were asked to what extent certain factors (e.g. immigrants, the unemployed, violence) caused them feelings of insecurity or uncertainty. They were also asked to evaluate different aspects of their neighbourhood.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, household composition, number of children living at home, education, economic activity and occupational status, duration of possible unemployment, type of employment contract, access to Internet, number of years R had lived in Tampere, and the service unit area where R lived.