This year’s Health Studies User Conference brought together 168 researchers and professionals with an interest in health-related data. The event explored the future of population health surveys and highlighted how these data sources are used extensively in research, policy-making, and public health monitoring.
A session from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) outlined that NHS-England will not be prioritising population health surveys in its long-term strategic work plan, and that the Health Survey for England 2025 will be the last HSE it will resource.
The ONS is exploring current requirements for population health data, including the impact of any changes.
The keynote address from Professor Oyinlola Oyebode, the Professor of Public Health and Lead of the Centre for Public Health and Policy at Queen Mary University of London, outlined how essential the Health Survey for England is for informing policy and monitoring public health.
Originally recommended in 1988 and launched in 1991, the survey has been instrumental in shaping health services and policy decisions. Notable applications include tracking the prevalence of chronic kidney disease, informing the Department of Health and Social Care’s calorie model, and evaluating the impact of the 2007 smoke-free legislation, particularly in assessing unintended consequences.
The UK Data Service has organised the Health Studies User Conference for over twenty years, mostly in collaboration with University College London (UCL) and the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). The conference provides a platform for data producers and users to share updates on key health-related surveys. These include: the Health Survey for England, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the National Study of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, and various national cohort studies.
Parallel sessions showcased a diverse range of research using health survey data. Topics included the health consequences of psychological distress in mid-life, the mental health impact of COVID-19 on young adults in the UK, and elevated obesity rates among HGV drivers. These discussions underscored the importance of continued investment in robust health data collection.
Please also read Oyinlola Oyebode’s post on the Data Impact blog, where she presents a personal view on the importance of the Health Survey for England; encourages participation in the questionnaire and explains the need for reliable statistics as part of the evidence base for policy making.
Plus, the recordings from the conference are now available to view.