SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Using SHS data to profile the characteristics of adults in Scotland with long term health conditions Wendy Loretto Management School and Economics The University of Edinburgh

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Introduction  Analysis of SHS undertaken as part of report to profile characteristics of adults with LTC  Aim: to supply detailed information to inform systematic approach to managing healthcare needs (Delivering for Health, 2005)  Also analysed Scottish Health Survey (2003)

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Approach to analysis  Chose two-year data-sets as basis for analysis so as to represent all local authorities in the spatial analysis  Aimed for consistency with previous reports, especially Social Focus on Disability, 2002  Advantages and disadvantages  Analysed random adult (RA) and household (HH) responses  Mainly descriptive analysis

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Definition of LTC Question asked: Do you have any long-standing illness, health problem or disability that limits your daily activities or the kind of work that you can do? By disability as opposed to ill-health, I mean a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on your ability to carry out normal day-to- day activities.

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Definition of LTC Response categories: Yes, disability Yes, illness or health problem Yes, both disability and illness or health problem No, neither Disability, with or without illness Illness or health problem only Neither Disability, &/or Illness or health problem Neither Summarised to:

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Prevalence of LTC amongst RA Fairly constant since 1999 Sharp increase with age Only difference is the proportion of the oldest age group (75+) who have a LTC – increased from 49.9% to 54.1% Increase in LTC associated with heart problems and diabetes

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Prevalence of LTC amongst HH Shows a slight rise Biased towards ‘older smaller’ and ‘single pensioner’ households More likely to be ‘lower income’ households Implications for care policies

SHS User Day 26 November 2007

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Social and economic disadvantage Adults with LTCs were: Less likely to be employed Lower occupational status among those who were employed Fewer formal educational qualifications Less likely to own their own home Lower household income Less likely to have savings More likely to live in locations associated with deprivation Less likely to rate neighbourhood positively More likely to experience restricted access to services, public transport, and restricted internet access

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Employment of RA Is there a widening gap?

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Access to services

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Care needs (i) Percentage of RA with LTC who have a home help

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 (ii) HH care statistics Most common patterns of care in 2005/06: ~ sole carer within household (32.2%) ~ sole carer from outside household (45.1%) ~ half of care from outwith household provided by relatives (Rising) importance of unpaid care Also: 20% of adults with LTCs are themselves carers for people not living with them

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Using SHS data - Some considerations General:  Fairly consistent measures over time  Documentation of analysis very helpful => More comparative analysis could be done In relation to health:  Usefulness of distinction between disability and long-term illness  Implications of being a household based survey  More attention to older age groups  Further questions on patterns of caring  Further questions on barriers to accessing services

SHS User Day 26 November 2007 Details of full report Characteristics of Adults in Scotland with Long Term Health Conditions By: Wendy Loretto and Matt Taylor Research Finding: Report: