The Victorian Population Health Survey is an important component of population health surveillance in Victoria. The annual survey series is an ongoing source of quality information on the health and wellbeing of adult Victorians.
The Victorian Population Health Survey has been conducted each year since 2001 and is based on a sample of 7,500 adults over 18 years of age who are randomly selected from households from each of the eight Department of Health and Human Services regions in the state. In 2008, 2011–12 and 2014, the sample size for the survey was expanded to include Victoria’s 79 local government areas (LGAs) (Tables i–iii and Maps i–ii).
The aim of the survey is to provide quality, timely indicators of population health to inform evidence-based policy development and strategic planning across the department and wider community. The survey is based on core question modules to report on trends over time and to inform decisions about public health priorities.
The survey findings fill a significant information gap to ensure that public health programs remain relevant and responsive to current and emerging health issues.
The impact of information from the Victorian Population Health Survey is extensive across both government and non-government sectors of Victoria. The survey provides quality data for a range of indicators of public health importance at the state and LGA levels.
Department of Health & Human Services
The Victorian Population Health Survey has been conducted each year since 2001 and is based on a sample of adults aged 18 years and over, randomly selected from households from each of the eight health regions of the Department of Health and Human Services regions in the state.
The survey was administered using computer-assisted telephone interviews. In 2008, 2011-12 and 2014, the sample size was expanded to approximately 34,000 participants to allow for the reporting of analysed data at the local government area level. Please refer to the Methods section of the report for a more detailed description of the methods.
Due to the extensive nature of reporting the findings from the Victorian Population Health Survey 2014 the report has been divided, for the first time, into three consecutive reports.
Report 1: Victorian Population Health Survey 2014: Modifiable risk factors contributing to chronic disease
This first report presents the survey’s findings for the modifiable risk factors which contribute to chronic disease in Victoria.
Information is presented on modifiable risk factors which include physical inactivity, smoking prevalence, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable intake, intake of sugar-sweetened drinks, overweight and obesity, hypertension and psychological distress. A separate snapshot of the key health indicators from the report for each local government area is also provided.
About the survey
The Victorian Population Health Survey is an important component of population health surveillance in Victoria. The annual survey series is an ongoing source of quality information on the health and wellbeing of adult Victorians.
The Victorian Population Health Survey has been conducted each year since 2001 and is based on a sample of 7,500 adults over 18 years of age who are randomly selected from households from each of the eight Department of Health and Human Services regions in the state. In 2008, 2011–12 and 2014, the sample size for the survey was expanded to include Victoria’s 79 local government areas (LGAs) (Tables i–iii and Maps i–ii).
The aim of the survey is to provide quality, timely indicators of population health to inform evidence-based policy development and strategic planning across the department and wider community. The survey is based on core question modules to report on trends over time and to inform decisions about public health priorities.
The survey findings fill a significant information gap to ensure that public health programs remain relevant and responsive to current and emerging health issues.
The impact of information from the Victorian Population Health Survey is extensive across both government and non-government sectors of Victoria. The survey provides quality data for a range of indicators of public health importance at the state and LGA levels.
About the report
For the first time, selected findings from the survey have been presented in three separate reports. Each report includes a series of related health topics and indicators. This report includes information on: smoking; fruit and vegetable consumption; take-away meals and snacks; consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks; body weight status; physical activity; alcohol consumption; psychological distress; and hypertension. The second report contains information on: self-reported health and wellbeing; chronic disease prevalence; screening; biomedical checks; and eye health. The third report focuses on social capital and inequalities in the social determinants of health. In this report the data are presented in tables by age, sex and geographic area.
At the time of the survey in 2014, the department had eight health regions, so this report includes a breakdown of health data by these eight regions. The department revised the structure of its operating model in 2016, which is now based on four health branches to focus on the health interests of local populations across the state.
The former regions map to the four divisions as listed below. Note that the North & West Metropolitan Region has been split and now forms part of North Division Health and West Division Health. Victorian Population Health Survey reports that feature survey data from 2016 onwards will include a breakdown of data by nine health areas as featured below: