This document was added or updated on 17/09/2009.

CONTENTS

Data availability
Publications
Access to microdata
Special data services
Other health and related publications


DATA AVAILABILITY

Results from the 2007-08 NHS are available in:

• publications and other releases of sets of standard tables;
• unidentifiable unit records; and
• tables produced on request to meet specific information requirements from the survey.

This section outlines the products and services currently available and those expected to be available over the coming months. The program of publications has not been finalised.


PUBLICATIONS

Selected results of the 2007-08 NHS are contained in National Health Survey: Summary of Results, Australia 2007-08 (Reissue) (cat. no. 4364.0), released in May 2009 and reissued in August 2009.

This publication contains summary level statistics for most topics covered in the 2007-08 NHS. The publication primarily presents national results, and some tables contain results from previous National Health Surveys for comparative purposes.

Sets of tables for individual states and the ACT are also available in National Health Survey: Summary of Results; State Tables, 2007-08 (Reissue) (cat. no. 4362.0).

Results from the survey will also be released in a variety of other publications including:

• various compendium style publications such as Australian Social Trends (cat. no. 4102.0);
• a series of thematic publications focusing on particular topics or topic areas covered by the survey. A program and timetable for these releases had not been finalised at the time this Guide was prepared; and
• a series of smaller web-based reports focusing on particular health issues. A program and timetable for these releases has not been finalised.

ACCESS TO MICRODATA

The ABS is required by legislation not to release information in a manner that is likely to enable the identification of a particular person or organisation. To meet this requirement in releasing microdata, the ABS aims to protect against two main types of risk; spontaneous recognition, and matching against other data sources. In order to ensure the confidentiality of respondents, the ABS usually removes some items from the microdata it makes available, and reduces the level of detail shown for some other items. However, in this process, the ABS is conscious of the need to find an appropriate balance between ensuring confidentiality while maximising the usefulness of the data set to users of the data.

To assist with finding this balance, approved users of the data can be granted remote access to confidentialised data files via the Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL) which enables greater security around access to, and use of, the file, and effectively removes the risk of matching to other data sources.

Two confidentialised unit record files will be released from the 2007-08 NHS; a Basic file available on CD ROM and through the RADL, and an Expanded file available through RADL only. The extra protections around the data provided by the RADL enable more information to be released on the Expanded CURF than on the Basic CURF.

It is expected these data files will be available from September 2009.

A full list of the data items available in both files is contained in the Information Paper: National Health Survey, 2007-08: Confidentialised Unit Record File (cat. no. 4324.0.55.001), which can be viewed from the ABS web site from September 2009.

Release of all confidentialised unit record information is subject to the approval of the Australian Statistician, and is contingent upon users of the file agreeing in writing to abide by the legislative restrictions on use and such other conditions of sale as may be determined by the Australian Statistician. These include use of the data for statistical purposes only, not attempting to identify particular persons or organisations and not attempting to match the information with any other unit level list of persons or organisations. Full details of the conditions of sale and use, together with application and undertaking forms, are available from the CURF Microdata page on the ABS Website.


SPECIAL DATA SERVICES

In addition to the products outlined above, a range of special data services are available on request, on a fee for service basis. Subject to sampling and confidentiality constraints, tables can be compiled to individual specifications, and other data and analytical services are available. For people wishing to request special tables, a list of all output data items are available from the Downloads tabs of the National Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4363.0.55.001) and the National Health Survey: Data Reference Package, 2007-08 (cat.no. 4363.0.55.002). For further information, please contact the National Information and Referral Service 1300 135 070.


OTHER HEALTH AND RELATED PUBLICATIONS

Other ABS publications which may be of interest are available at the Health theme page on the ABS web site (www.abs.gov.au).

National Health Survey:

• National Health Survey, Summary of Results, Australia, 2004-05, 2001 and 1995 (cat. no. 4364.0).
• National Health Survey, Summary of Results, State Tables, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4362.0).
• National Health Survey, Users' Guide, 2004-05 and 2001 cat no. 4363.0.55.001 and 1995 (cat. no. 4363.0).
• National Health Survey and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2004/05: Data Reference Package, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4363.0.55.002).
• National Health Survey: Confidentialised Unit Record Files, Basic and Expanded (back to 1977-78) (cat. no. 4324.0.55.001).
• Information Paper: National Health Survey - Confidentialised Unit Record Files, 2001 and 2004-05 (cat. no. 4324.0).

Other releases from the 2004-05 National Health Survey:

• Asthma in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4819.0.55.001);
• Cancer in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4822.0.55.001);
• Cardiovascular Disease in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4821.0.55.001);
• Diabetes in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4820.0.55.001);
• Injury in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4825.0.55.001);
• Musculoskeletal Conditions in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4823.0.55.001);
• Overweight and Obesity in Adults Australia, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4719.0);
• Alcohol Consumption in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4832.0.55.001);
• Tobacco Smoking in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4831.0.55.001);
• Physical Activity in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4835.0.55.001);
• Health of Children in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4829.0.55.001);
• Health of Older People in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4833.0.55.001);
• Health of Mature Age Workers in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4837.0.55.001);
• Self-Assessed Health in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4828.0.55.001);
• Mental Health in Australia, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4824.0.55.001);
• Changes in health, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4834.0.55.001);
• Selected Health Occupations: Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4819.0);
• Household Expenditure on health, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4836.0.55.001);
• Private Health Insurance, A Snapshot, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4815.0.55.001);

Other releases from the 2001 National Health Survey:

• Occasional Paper: Vaccination Coverage in Australian Children, 2001 (cat. no. 4813.0.55.001);
• Occasional Paper: Measuring Dietary Habits in the 2001 NHS (cat. no. 4814.0.55.001);
• Breastfeeding in Australia, 2001 (cat. no. 4810.0.55.001);

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health:

• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4715.0);
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2004-05, Expanded CURF (cat. no. 4715.0.55.001);
• The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2008 (cat. no. 4704.0);

Other publications and sites of interest:

• Occasional Paper: Long-term Health Conditions - a Guide to Time Series Comparability from the NHS 2001 (cat. no. 4816.0.55.001).
• Occasional Paper: Health Risk Factors - a Guide to Time Series Comparability from the NHS 2004 (cat. no. 4826.0.55.001);
• National Survey of Mental health and Wellbeing: A Summary of Results, 2007 (cat. no 4326.0);
• Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2003 (cat. no. 4430.0);
• Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2008 (Edition 2) (cat. no. 4156.0);
• Private Hospitals, Australia, 2006-07 (cat. no. 4390.0);
• Information Paper: External Causes of Death, Data Quality, 2005 (cat. no. 3317.0.55.001);
• How Australians Measure Up, 1995 (cat. no. 4359.0);
• Information Paper: Use of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale in ABS Health Survey, 2001 (cat. no. 4817.0.55.001);
• National Health Survey: SF36 Population Norms, Australia, 1995 (cat. no. 4399.0).