The Health and Lifestyle Survey currently under way by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is being opened up to anyone who wishes to contribute.
An invitation to complete the survey, which runs until 29 October, was sent to 7,000 households randomly selected from the publicly available property database earlier this month. The approach aimed to ensure that the information gathered was representative of the Island’s population.
From midday today (Tuesday 24 October) the entire community is being invited to complete the survey so that additional data can be gathered, although the initial representative sample will be analysed separately.
The questions focus on general health and wellbeing, diet, physical activity and lifestyle choices – including a specific focus on attitudes to gambling – and respondents can choose which questions they feel comfortable answering.
The survey can be completed online or downloaded from gov.im/healthandlifestylesurvey and paper copies, as well as additional information, are available from the Public Health Directorate by telephoning 642639 or emailing publichealth.dhsc@gov.im
Paper copies can also be picked up around the island at the following locations:
• The Welcome Centre, Sea Terminal, Douglas
• Henry Bloom Noble Library, Douglas
• Ramsey Library
• Onchan Library
• Port Erin Library
• Ward Library, Peel
• Peel Town Hall
The results of the survey will provide valuable information on the health and wellbeing of the population and will help shape cross-government policies.
Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart said: ‘The information gained from the survey will feed directly into service planning. For example, we include questions about gambling because the DHSC does not currently have comprehensive services and pathways for people with problem gambling, and we do not know the extent and patterns of gambling on the Island.
‘The results will form an essential part of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Gambling which is currently under way. Future services and pathways will be based on this needs assessment.
‘The survey report, Gambling Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, gambling strategy and implementation plan will all be published online as they are completed, so people will be able to see how the information from the surveys is used to plan services.’
All answers disclosed in the survey will be completely anonymous and any information treated in the strictest confidence, in accordance with the Isle of Man Data Protection Act 2002.
The survey will close at midnight on Sunday 29 October.
