1. Input Presentation for Working Group 1 Jonas Finger Summary of main problems noted by member states regarding the Background Variables and the Health Status Module

2. Background  Response Rate: 90% (28 out of 31 countries)  Scoring: “should be removed” = 1 “should be changed totally” = 2 “should be kept with some adaptation“ = 3 “should be kept without any change” = 4  Overall expert compliance score by module European Background Variable Module = 3.61 European Health Care Module = 3.47 European Health Status Module = 3.38 European Health Determinants Module = 3.28

3. 3 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop Rating on European Background Variables Module Items with a Satisfactory Score Average ItemEuropean Background Variables Module Score average IP4Date of interview 3.92 HH23Sex 3.88 IP1Country 3.85 IP2Region of residence 3.85 HH1How many persons live in the household? 3.84 HH21Members of the household 3.84 HH24Date of birth 3.76 HH7Highest education leaving certificate, diploma or education degree 3.76 HH12In your (main) job do/did you work full-time or part-time? 3.65 HH8How would you define your current labour status? 3.65 HH3What is your country of birth? 3.63 HH14What does the organisation do/produce where you work? 3.62 HH25Relationship 3.60

4. 4 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop European Background Variable Module Items in Need of Revision ItemEuropean Background Variables Module Score average Should be removed Total Change Some adaptation HH13What is (was) your occupation in this job? 3.584 %0 %31 % HH5What is your legal marital status? 3.584 % 23 % IP3Degree of urbanisation 3.588 %4 %8 % HH9Have you ever worked for pay or profit? 3.5611 %0 %11 % HH10Are/Were you employee, self-employed etc.? 3.548 %0 %23 % HH22Name 3.5212 %0 %12 % HH4What is your citizenship? 3.508 %0 %27 % IN4Range of household's total net monthly income 3.468 % 15 % IN2What is your household's total net monthly income? 3.4412 %4 %12 % HH11What type of work contract do/did you have? 3.4215 %0 %12 % HH6Living with someone in this household as a couple? 3.3812 %8 %12 % IN1Which kinds of income do your household receive? 3.338 %0 %42 % IN3What is your household's total net income per month? 3.3220 %4 %0 % HH26Current economic status 3.2820 %0 %12 %

5. 5 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop European Background Variable Module Qualitative Results Item Main CategoryExamples IP3Response categories  City code only (conduct categorisation ourselves) (FR) HH2Household roster  Too complicated and not user-friendly (CZ, EE, MT) HH5/6Response categories  Closely related; should put filter for married and ask for living together or separated (CZ) Other problems with question  HH6 legal basis possibility redundant (BE) HH10Question redundant  Purpose of question? (BE) HH11Concept  Confusing: temporary work needs to be defined (BE) HH13Other  Extending data coding according to ISCO 08 or 88 (TR. HR, IE, PT) IN1Response categories  List is missing allowances that are provided only once or twice a year and special allowances for kids (HU) Other  Income from real estate, investments or other sources missing (GR, PT) IN2Removal of question  Information can be obtained from other sources (Scandinavian countries) Phrasing of question  Use of income intervals as opposed to an amount (CZ) Response problems  Partners might not know income of partner (SE) IN3Sensitive issue  People might not want to respond to this question (SK) Other  Information can be obtained from other sources (Scandinavian countries)

6. 6 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop European Health Status Module Items with a Satisfactory Score Average ItemEuropean Health Status Module Score average HS1How is your health in general? Is it… 3.96 HS2Any longstanding illness or [longstanding] health problem? 3.75 HS6Have you had this disease/condition in the last 12 months? 3.73 HS7Any of the following type of accidents resulting in injury (external or internal)? 3.68 HS3Limited because of a health problem in activities people usually do? 3.61 SF1How much physical pain or physical discomfort did you have? 3.50 HS8Did you visit a doctor, a nurse or an emergency department of a hospital as a result of this accident? 3.44 HS4Do you have/ever had any of the following diseases or conditions? 3.39 HS5Disease/condition diagnosed by a medical doctor? 3.39

7. 7 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop European Health Status Module Items in Need of Revision ItemEuropean Health Status Module Score average Remove Change totally Some adaptation SF2MHI-5, EVI from SF-36 3,354 %13 %26 % HS10Absent from work b/c disease? 3,3211 %4 %29 % HS11Days absent from work? 3,2412 %4 %32 % HS9Diseases made worse by job? 2,9326 %11 %7 %

8. 8 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop European Health Status Module Qualitative Results Item Main CategoryExamples HS9Removal of question  Too complex (BE, FR) Concept  Unclear what is being measured: an exposure or current health status (EE) Filter  Only if HS.6 applies (GR) Response Categories  Rephrasing: “Have any of the diseases......been caused.....” (UK) HS10Item changes  Reference period too long 1-3 months (IT, CH) Rephrasing  In the past 12 months, have you been absent from work for reasons of diseases, injuries or other health problems? (UK) HS11Concept  Combination with HS.10 (SE, DK) Reference period  Reference period too long (CZ, IT, FR) Response categories  Create response categories with intervals (DE) SF1Incomplete instrument  There are two questions on pain in the SF-36 (BE) Concept  Cultural differences in definition of pain (FR, SE, DK) Reference period  Too long (BE) SF2-10Inadequate Coverage of MH  Lack of depth (AT, NL, CH) Caused Problems for Respondents  Misunderstandings (TR, ES, CY) Cultural Issues  Issues for specific subgroups (SI, TR) Response Categories  Caused confusion (difficult to distinguish) (TR, BG) Alternative Instruments  Oslo Social Support Scale (BE)

9. 9 30 September 2010 Jonas FingerEHIS workshop Criteria to Determine the Relevance of the Questions  Public health concepts and theories  Its use to work out Community indicators (ECHI list, OMC indicators  Methodological problems (low prevalence, cross nationally heavy varying prevalence)  Its suitability for cross European comparisons  A possible overlap with already existing data sources or planned projects (ESAW, LFS ad-hoc modules, SILC, EHSI, IDB)  Use of international instruments  Social core variables  EU policy needs