| Health Survey for England - The Health of Minority Ethnic Groups '99 | ||||
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Foreword
This report is the main outcome of the ninth year of the Health Survey for England, undertaken on behalf of the Department of Health. The survey provides a major vehicle for monitoring the health of the population and the information is used to underpin strategies for promoting better health. The survey is unique in providing objective measures of health, such as blood pressure measurements, analyses of blood samples, and ecg readings alongside information from questionnaires. The survey contains a wealth of socio-demographic data which is valuable for monitoring inequalities in health. This is the first time that the survey has concentrated on the health of minority ethnic groups. The report compares the health of minority ethnic groups in the following areas: self-assessed health and psychosocial well-being; cardiovascular disease; tobacco use; alcohol consumption; obesity; blood pressure; physical activity; and eating habits. Additional information on respiratory disease was collected from the children in the sample. I welcome this report which provides a valuable resource for monitoring inequalities in health. I would particularly like to express my thanks to all those people who gave up their time to take part in the survey. Without their help we would lose a public health tool of enormous potential to benefit and protect the health of every one of us.
PROFESSOR LIAM DONALDSON Chief Medical Officer
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