Welsh Health Survey 2005/06

Health status, illnesses and other conditions:

• 16% of adults reported that their health in general was excellent, 34% very good, 29% good, 16% fair, and 6% poor.
• 20% of adults reported currently being treated for high blood pressure, 14% for a respiratory illness, 13% for arthritis, 12% for back pain, 9% for a heart condition (other than high blood pressure), 9% for a mental illness and 6% for diabetes.
• 11% of children were reported as being treated for asthma and 11% for a skin complaint.
• 27% of adults and 4% of children were reported as having a limiting long-term illness.

Health-related lifestyle:

• 25% of adults reported that they currently smoked.
• 66% of adult non-smokers reported being regularly exposed to other people's tobacco smoke.
• 39% of adults reported that they usually drank more than the daily guidelines for alcohol (on days when they drank), and 19% reported binge-drinking on at least one day in the past week.
• 42% of adults reported eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables the previous day, and 31% reported meeting the guidelines for physical activity in the past week.
• 56% of adults were classified as overweight or obese, including 19% classified as obese.

Health service use:

• 17% of adults reported that they had talked to a GP about their own health in the past two weeks, and 20% reported attending a hospital outpatient department in the past three months.
• 79% of adults reported using a pharmacist in the past twelve months, 67% a dentist and 46% an optician.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 6710
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk