Eurostat

The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) aims at measuring on a harmonised basis and with a high degree of comparability among Member States (MS) the health status (including disability), health determinants (including environment) and use and limitations in access to health care services of the EU citizens. The general coverage of the survey is the population aged 15 or over living in private households residing in the territory of the country. EHIS was developed between 2003 and 2006. It consists of four modules on health status, health determinants, health care, and background variables. The first wave of EHIS (EHIS wave 1 or EHIS round 2008) was conducted between 2006 and 2009 in 17 EU Member States as well as Switzerland and Turkey. The second wave (EHIS wave 2 or EHIS round 2014) was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. Some other countries conducted their national health interview surveys using the second wave of EHIS questionnaire such as Turkey or Serbia. EHIS includes the following topics: Health status This topic includes different dimensions of health status and health-related activity limitations: General health status (Minimum European health module): self-perceived health, chronic morbidity and activity limitationDisease-specific morbidityAccidents and injuriesHealth-related absenteeism from workPhysical and sensory functional limitationsDifficulties in personal care activities / activities of daily living (such as eating and washing) and help received/neededHousehold activities / Instrumental activities of daily living (such as preparing meals and shopping) and help received/neededPainAspect of mental health (psychological distress and mental well-being in the first wave, depressive symptoms in the second wave)Work-related health problems (only in the first wave).Health care This topic covers the use of different types of medicines and formal and informal health and social care services, which are complemented by data on health-related expenditure, and limitations in access to and satisfaction with health care services: Hospitalisation (in-patient and day care)Consultations with doctors and dentistsVisits to specific health professionals (such as physiotherapists or psychologists)Use of home care and home help servicesUse of medicines (prescribed and non-prescribed)Healthcare preventive actions (such as influenza vaccination, breast examination, cervical smear test and blood tests)Unmet needs for health careOut-of-pocket payments for medical care (only in the first wave)Satisfaction with services provided by healthcare providers (only in the first wave)Visits to specific categories of alternative medicine practitioners (only in the first wave).Health determinants This topic includes various individual and environmental health determinants: Height and weightPhysical activity/exerciseConsumption of fruits, vegetables and juiceSmoking behaviour and exposure to tobacco smokeAlcohol consumptionSocial supportProvision of informal care or assistance (only in the second wave)Illicit drug use (only in the first wave)Environment (home and workplace exposures, criminality exposure) (only in the first wave).Background variables on demography and socio-economic status. All indicators are expressed as percentages within the population and statistics are broken down by age and sex and one other dimension such as educational attainment level, income quintile group or labour status. Additional breakdowns such as country of birth, country of citizenship, activity limitation are planned to be used.