Scottish Health Survey 2018: summary report

Chapter 2 General Health, Cardiovascular Conditions and Caring

71% of adults, in 2018, described their health as 'good' or 'very good', the lowest recorded since 2008.

94% of children described their health as 'good' or 'very good', with little change from previous years.

Adults who assessed their general health to be 'good' or 'very good' varied by age:

• 85% aged 16-24
• 68% aged 45-64
• 57% aged 75+

In 2018, 16% of adults reported having any CVD (cardiovascular disease), with 7% reporting having doctor-diagnosed diabetes (primarily type 2 – 6%), 20% having any CVD or diabetes, 5% having IHD (ischaemic heart disease), 3% having a stroke and 7% having a stroke or IHD.

Prevalence of diabetes, any CVD and IHD continued to be higher in the most deprived areas.

The proportion of adults providing unpaid care for a family member, friend or someone else remained at 15% among those aged 16 and over and 4% for children aged 4-15.

The largest proportion of carers spent up to 19 hours per week providing unpaid care in 2017/18 (32% up to 4 hours and 34% 5-19 hours per week). Nearly twice as many of those aged 65 and over (22%) reported providing 50 hours or more, compared with 12% of those aged 16-44 and 2% of those aged 4-15.

7 in 10 unpaid carers aged 4 and over reported receiving no help or support (69%), with a significant variation between those who provided care for fewer than 35 hours per week (75%) and those who provided 35 hours or more of unpaid care per week (40%).

Provision of unpaid care was higher among adults living in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas.

• Most deprived areas 18%
• Least deprived areas 13%

Unpaid care provision was higher among women than men.

• Women 18%
• Men 12%

Average age standardised WEMWBS scores amongst care givers showed that mental wellbeing was significantly lower among those who spent a greater number of hours per week providing unpaid care.

• 51.2 among those caring for up to 4 hours a week
• 44.4 among those caring between 35-49 hours a week