1. Jakub Hrkal ESTAT Unit F-4
Preparation of EHIS wave 3 Discussion on the list of variables (Annex I): Physical activity
Agenda point 3.2
Jakub Hrkal
ESTAT Unit F-4
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

2. 2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force
Outline
Current sub-module (EHIS wave 2): characteristics and content
Difficulties and possible solutions
Conclusions
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

3. Current sub-module (EHIS 2): characteristics
Newly developed (but based on existing instruments)
Designed for measuring the compliance with the WHO PA recommendations for the adult population (18-64)
Covering 3 relevant public health domains: work-related, transportation (commuting) and leisure-time physical activities
Focusing ‘health-enhancing PA’
Relatively short
Easier for respondents (compared to EHIS wave 1 instrument)
Various public health relevant and easy to understand outcome indicators can be calculated
Tested in different countries and cultural settings using different modes of data collection (PAPI, CATI) and validated
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

4. Current sub-module (EHIS 2): content
PE1 
Physical effort of working tasks (both paid and unpaid work activities included)
PE2
Number of days in a typical week walking to get to and from places at least 10 minutes continuously
PE3
Time spent on walking to get to and from places on a typical day
PE4
Number of days in a typical week bicycling to get to and from places at least 10 minutes continuously
PE5
Time spent on bicycling to get to and from places on a typical day
PE6
Number of days in a typical week doing sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) physical activities that cause at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate for at least 10 minutes continuously
PE7
Time spent on doing sports, fitness or recreational (leisure) physical activities in a typical week
PE8
Number of days in a typical week doing muscle-strengthening activities
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

5. Difficulties and possible solutions (1)
Too complex and difficult questions → reduce the module – exclude transportation activities
General issues for any PA instrument; only main priority areas currently included
PE1: Answer categories difficult to understand for respondents → More detailed explanations
Would be too long
PE1: Difficult to answer for people with more jobs or part-time workers
No practical solution → focus on main tasks or provide an average
PE8: Less important
Needed to estimate HEPA recommendation on muscle strengthening activities
- Consultation of MS: problematic for 12 countries
- Proposals for future from MS: simplify module, concentrate on sport, change instrument for IPAQ-SF; add variables on sedentary behaviour
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

6. Difficulties and possible solutions (2)
Confusion between transportation and leisure time activities
Known problem but rarely observed
Difficult to indicate the time spent on physical activities
Requires less calculation from the respondents compared to other instruments
Difficult to indicate the time spent on walking for shift workers/irregular PA
General issue; requires calculating averages
Too long introductions and explanations (for self-completed questionnaire) → shorten
Maybe not as it worked in some MS; exchange of practices
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

7. Difficulties and possible solutions (3)
Missing data on slow recreational walking/biking → adapt current questions or add a new question
No adaptation of current questions is recommended; if considered as priority, 1 question could be introduced (testing needed)
More detailed data on duration of activities would be useful
No need for calculation of main indicators
Calculation of accurate indicators requests the concept of vigorous activities
Difficult for respondents; approximation for main indicators is good
Differences in recall periods (PE3, PE5 versus PE7)
The current version is appropriately justified
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

8. Difficulties and possible solutions (4)
Missing data on sedentary behaviour
If priority, included at the end and GPAQ question could be considered:
The following question is about sitting or reclining at work, at home, getting to and from places, or with friends including time spent sitting at a desk, sitting with friends, traveling in car, bus, train, reading, playing cards or watching television, but do not include time spent sleeping.
[INSERT EXAMPLES] (USE SHOWCARD)
How much time do you usually spend sitting or reclining on a
typical day? Hours : minutes /_/_/ : /_/_/
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force

9. Conclusions and proposals for discussion
For EHIS wave 3:
Keep the current (EHIS wave 2) sub-module unchanged
Further discuss the possibility to add 1 question on sedentary activities / slow recreational walking at the end of the module
Focus on facilitating the implementation (improvement of guidelines as regards different data collections modes)
Outlook for future EHIS (EHIS wave 4 onwards)
Conduct analysis of EHIS wave 2 and SILC 2017 AHM on health (which includes 2 variables on PA)
Further investigate alignment between the variables in EHIS and SILC
On-going discussion with EU policy counterparts on possible further development of the module
13-14 October 2016
2nd meeting of EHIS Task Force