The Danish Health Examination Survey 2007-2008 (DANHES 2007-2008)

Abstract

Aims: The Danish Health Examination Survey (DANHES 2007—2008) was carried out by the National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, in 13 Danish municipalities in 2007—2008. The focus of the survey was diet, smoking, alcohol, and physical activity. The aim of the survey was to establish a research database for future cross-sectional and follow-up studies. Methods: DANHES 2007—2008 included internet-based questionnaires and a health examination. There were two different questionnaires: a basic questionnaire on socio-demography, health behaviour, self-reported health status, and living conditions, and a supplementary food frequency questionnaire. The health examination contained measurements of blood pressure, resting heart rate, height, weight, fat percentage, waist and hip circumference, blood and hair samples, spirometry, bone mineral density, physical performance, muscle strength, and aerobic fitness. Results: A total of 76,484 people completed the basic questionnaire, and 18,065 adult individuals participated in the health examination, corresponding to a response rate of 14% and a participation rate of 10%, respectively. Conclusions: The database from DANHES 2007—2008 is unique in its size and diversity of measurements and questionnaire contents. Data can be linked to various registers through the Danish civil registration system, and blood samples are stored in a biobank allowing for genetic analyses. Hence, DANHES 2007—2008 forms the basis for future research projects with a focus on health behaviour and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

Keywords

Cross-sectional studies data collection health behaviour health surveys study design

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Juel K. , Sørensen J. , Brønnum-Hansen H. Risk factors and public health in Denmark. Scand J Public Health 2008;36(Suppl 1):11-227.

Saunders JB , Aasland OG , Babor TF , Delafuente JR , Grant M. Development of the Alcohol-Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit)-WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol-Consumption II . Addiction 1993;88(6):791-804.

International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Available from: http://www.ipaq.ki.se/ipaq.htm (accessed 12 March 2010).

Jensen TK , Grandjean P. , Andersen HR , Nielsen F. , Eriksen L. , Curtis T. KRAM-undersøgelsen. Miljø og sundhed [The Danish Health Examination Survey 2007-2008 (DANHES 2007-2008). Environmental Health ] 2009;15(Suppl 1):69-71.

Guralnik JM , Simonsick EM , Ferrucci L. , Glynn RJ , Berkman LF , Blazer DG , et al. A short physical performance battery assessing lower-extremity function - association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing-home admission. J Gerontol 1994;49(2):M85-M94.

Andersen LB A maximal cycle exercise protocol to predict maximal oxygen uptake. Scand J Med Sci Sports 1995;5(3):143-6.

Åstrand P-O. , Rodahl K. Evaluation of physical performance on the basis of tests. In: Provenzano MD , editor. Textbook of work physiology. Physiological bases of exercise , 3rd edn. New York: McGraw Hill; 1986. pp. 354-90.

Statistics Denmark , StatBank Denmark. Available from: http://www.statistikbanken.dk (accessed 12 March 2010).

Statistics Denmark. Notat om metoder til opregning af KRAM-undersøgelsen 2007-2008 [Memorandum on methods for enumeration of the Danish Health Examination Survey 2007-2008] .

10.

Fangel S. , Linde PC , Thorsted BL

Nye problemer med repræsentativitet i surveys, som opregning med registre kan reducere. Metode og Data

[New problems survey representativity, which enumeration with registers is able to reduce. Method and Data] 2007;93:14-26.

11.

Särndal C-E. , Swensson B. , Wretman J. Model assisted survey sampling. New York: Springer-Verlag ; 1992.

12.

Kongsved SM , Basnov M. , Holm-Christensen K. , Hjollund NH Response rate and completeness of questionnaires: a randomized study of internet versus paper-and-pencil versions. J Med Internet Res 2007;9(3):e25.

13.

Dannetun E. , Tegnell A. , Giesecke J. Parents’ attitudes towards hepatitis B vaccination for their children. A survey comparing paper and web questionnaires, Sweden 2005. BMC Public Health 2007;7:86.

14.

Edwards P. , Roberts I. , Clarke M. , DiGuiseppi C. , Pratap S. , Wentz R. , et al. Increasing response rates to postal questionnaires: systematic review. BMJ 2002 ;324(7347):1183-5.

15.

Edwards P. , Roberts I. , Sandercock P. , Frost C.

Follow-up by mail in clinical trials: does questionnaire length matter?

Control Clin Trials 2004;25(1):31-52.