1. TG EHIS January Item 4.1 of the agenda EHIS wave 2 Implementing Regulation Bart De Norre, Eurostat

2. Article 1 Scope
European statistics based on the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) shall concern health status, health care, health determinants as well as socio-demographic characteristics of the population aged 15 and more.
TG EHIS, January 2012

3. Article 2 Definitions
(c) ‘proxy answer’ means information about a person provided by another member of that person’s household; TO BE DELETED; Situations of its use to be specified in the guidelines
TG EHIS, January 2012

4. Article 3 Data required
Each Member State shall submit to the Commission (Eurostat) the microdata set out in Annex I.
With a view to achieving a high level of harmonisation of the survey results across countries, the Commission (Eurostat), in close cooperation with Member States, shall propose methodological and practical recommendations and guidelines on sampling design and the implementation of the survey in the form of an ‘European Health Interview Survey Manual’ including a model questionnaire.
This microdata shall be based on nationally representative probability samples..
The minimum effective sample size, calculated on the assumption of simple random sampling, is defined in Annex III. Weighting factors shall be calculated to take into account the units' probability of selection, non-response and, as appropriate, to adjust the sample to external data relating to the distribution of persons in the target population.
Small parts of the national territory amounting to no more than 2% of the national population and the national territories listed in Annex II may be excluded.
TG EHIS, January 2012

5. Article 4 Reference period and population
Only one person per household shall be interviewed. TO BE DELETED
Proxy answers shall be kept below 5 % in each Member State. TO BE DELETED
TG EHIS, January 2012

6. Proposal for guidelines
Proxy answers shall only be allowed in cases where the respondent is:
Suffering from longterm cognitive impairment,
Suffering from longterm severe debilitation,
Suffering from a longterm sensory impairment that prevents the interaction between interviewer and interviewee,
in hospital/health care facility/away from the household for educational purposes for the entire period of the fieldwork in their area of residence.
Any other proxy answers are to be excluded from the dataset.
TG EHIS, January 2012

7. Next steps
Comments on the wording of the variables on the use of medicines and unmet needs (including on the answer categories) expected by 3 February
Revised draft Regulation sent for written consultation of the members of the EHIS TG and Public Health Statistics WG by 10 February, together with draft cost benefit analysis
Comments expected by 3 March together with possible request for derogations duly justified
Manual (including the model questionnaire and guidelines) and methodological guidelines (on the sampling design, use of proxy, etc.) submitted for approval by the Public Health WG on September, after written consultation of the EHIS TG
TG EHIS, January 2012