Participants of the Scottish Health Survey 2020: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many people were invited to take part in the Scottish Health Survey 2020 by telephone but couldn't because they cannot use a telephone due to a hearing loss or other language/communication support need?

2. How many people took part in the Scottish Health Survey 2020 using contactSCOTLAND-BSL?

3. How many people took part in the Scottish Health Survey 2020 using Relay UK?

If the answer to these questions is "none", I would like to know what provisions are in place to ensure that people who have a hearing loss or a language/communication support need and cannot use the telephone are included

a) In the Scottish Health Survey in 2021; and

b) In the future, if there is a move away from face-to-face interviews to using the telephone and other technology?

Response

1. We do not know how many people could not take part in the 2020 telephone survey due to hearing loss or other language or communication issue. In the usual format of the Scottish Health Survey, when interviews are undertaken within households, we offer translations, including a BSL interpreter, for people who require this to take part. Last year was the first time we had conducted the survey via telephone and the process was experimental with interviewing taking place over only a few weeks. We have learnt a lot from that process. We did not receive any enquiries about the possibility of taking part using contact SCOTLAND BSL or Relay UK however the option for translations or other support to take part was not explicitly set out in the advanced letter sent to households.

2. None 

3. None

a) Due to ongoing restrictions, we will be interviewing by telephone in 2021, with interviews due to commence in April and running over the remainder of the year. The advanced letter for the 2021 survey will explicitly ask people to get in touch if they require any language or communication support in order to take part. As part of this support we are exploring the option of using contactSCOTLANDBSL or Relay UK. 

b) In the future, if there is a move away from face-to-face interviews to using the telephone and other technology, we can apply what we have learnt in 2021. If the mode was to change to an alternative (for example a web based approach) consideration would be given to any adaptations needed for people with language/communication support needs.

About FOI
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