EstHIS - sporedata/researchdesigneR GitHub Wiki

General description

The Estonian Health Interview Survey (EstHIS) is a national survey that collects comprehensive data on the health status, health behaviors, and healthcare utilization of the Estonian population.

Conducted periodically, the survey aims to monitor public health trends, identify risk factors, and support the development of health policies and programs in Estonia. The data from ETeU covers a wide range of health-related topics and is crucial for understanding the overall health landscape of the country.

Benefit and categories

Benefits

  • Policy Development: Supports the creation of evidence-based health policies and interventions.
  • Public Health Monitoring: Facilitates the tracking of health trends and identification of at-risk groups over time.
  • Comprehensive Health Data: Provides detailed insights into various health aspects of the Estonian population.

EstHIS is often aligned with the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), allowing for comparisons with other European countries. This helps in understanding Estonia's health status in a broader context and identifying areas for improvement.

Categories

  • Health Status: Information on chronic conditions, self-reported health status, mental health, and disabilities.
  • Health Behavior: Questions on lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, and sleep.
  • Socio-Demographic Data: Demographic information, including age, gender, education, employment status, and income, to analyze health disparities and the impact of socioeconomic factors on health.
  • Healthcare Utilization: Data on the use of various healthcare services, including visits to doctors, hospital stays, use of medications, and preventive services like vaccinations and screenings.

Limitations

  • Self-Reported Data: Data may be subject to reporting bias due to self-reporting by participants.
  • Population Coverage: Certain subgroups may be underrepresented in the survey sample.
  • Cross-Sectional Design: The survey’s cross-sectional nature limits the ability to establish causal relationships.

Related publications

Data access

Data from the EstHIS is available to researchers upon request.