Download SHeS CRUK response - Scottish Government consultations

Consultation questions
1. Please tick one option. Would you like to:
 Retain the questions in this topic without any changes? YES
 Retain the questions in this topic with some changes?
If you would like to retain these questions with some changes, please describe the
changes you propose. If you propose that new questions are added to the topic,
please explain whether the questions have been tested or used in another survey.
Cancer is Scotland’s biggest killer, yet four in ten cancers are preventable.
Our team of subject experts, statisticians and design specialists use the latest statistical
information available from the Scottish Health Survey on preventable risk factors to
create the following materials:

To conduct analysis and produce infographics on cancer statistics at a local level.
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To create local profiles combining health board and local authority data.
These materials are used in the following ways:

On our Local Cancer Statistics Website, which is popular and regularly used by
health professionals, stakeholders, patients and members of the public to find
and compare local statistics and information.

Regularly shared with Members of Scottish Parliament, local authorities and other
healthcare professionals to help understand the lifestyle and cancer landscape in
their area better.

In profile ‘fact sheets’ which are used by our teams of nurses on our cancer
awareness roadshows, who travel across Scotland speaking to hundreds of
people every week, raising awareness of cancer and working closely with local
health workers and organisations in local communities.
These materials draw directly from Scottish Health Survey data for numerous indicators,
therefore it is important that they continue to be included and published in future surveys.
It is crucial that we continue to use the most up to date local data to continue to raise
awareness of lifestyle changes that can reduce cancer risk.
2. How frequently do you require information gathered by the survey on this topic?
Please circle one option.
Annually / Biennially / 4-yearly
Please explain why you require data at this frequency.
Annually.
We update our Local Cancer Statistics Website regularly using the following indicators from
the Scottish Health Survey:
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Proportion of adults aged over 16 who smoke.
Proportion of respondents aged 16 years and over, who drank more than guideline
daily alcohol limits on their heaviest drinking day, and/or more than weekly alcohol
limits, in the week before they were interviewed.
Proportion of respondents aged 16 years and over who were overweight or obese
according to BMI.
Proportion of respondents aged 16 and over who reported that they had eaten the
recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables on the previous day.
Proportion of respondents aged 16 and over who reported meeting the
recommended level of physical activity.
Any reduction in the frequency of the statistical releases would impact on our ability to help
stakeholders better understand the lifestyle and cancer landscape in their area and across
Scotland.
What would be the impact on your area of work if this data was not collected in the
Scottish Health Survey?
No impact / Some impact / Major impact
Please describe the expected impact. Please also explain how the information is
used, e.g. to measure progress against targets or to support key policy initiatives.
Cancer is Scotland’s biggest killer, yet four in ten cancers are preventable.
At Cancer Research UK, we work to ensure that cancer issues are high on the agenda in
Scotland, and it is crucial that we continue to have access to the most up to date local
data to continue to raise awareness of lifestyle changes that can reduce cancer risk.
Data from the Scottish Healthcare Survey is particularly crucial for informing our policy
calls.
For example, we are currently running a campaign that aims to reduce obesity in
Scotland, and in working with MSPs from across the political spectrum to illustrate the
scale of the problem in Scotland, we use Scottish Healthcare Survey data to help
compare overweight and obesity prevalence in NHS Health Board areas to the Scottish
average. By being able to access lifestyle indicator data on these important cancer risk
factors, we can help raise awareness and influence policy, with the ultimate aim of driving
down the incidence of preventable cancers
3. Do you require data at subnational level?
Yes / No
If Yes, please indicate which geography is required, e.g. NHS Health Board.
Yes – by NHS Health Board.
4. Is it important to link information on this topic to other questions/topics in SHeS?
Yes / No
If Yes, which questions/topics and how frequently?
Annually biennially 4-yearly
Age
Y☐ ☐
Sex
Y☐ ☐
Household characteristics
Y☐ ☐
Any other questions/topics, please specify;
(1):____________________ ☐ ☐
(2):____________________ ☐ ☐
(3):____________________ ☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
(Note: ‘household characteristics’ include area deprivation, urban/rural classification and
household income)
Please explain why you need to be able to link these questions/topics.
5. Is any of this information available from any other source?
Yes / No
If Yes, please state the alternative data sources and explain the benefits of
gathering this information as part of the Scottish Health Survey.
6. Please provide any further comments you have on the future design and content
of the Scottish Health Survey in the space below.