Foreword
I am pleased to present the 2009-2010 Summary Report from the New South Wales Child Health Survey, which provides information on health behaviours, health status, health services, and social determinants of health, for children aged 0-15 years.
Since 1997, the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence has been conducting surveys of state residents using computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). These surveys have become one of the main mechanisms through which the NSW Ministry of Health reports key health indicators in the National Preventive Health Strategy, AIHW's Headline indicators for children's health, development and wellbeing, 2011, the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015, and NSW 2021: A plan to make NSW number one.
The 2009-2010 Summary Report shows several indicators of child health are improving. There have been significant increases in children eating more fruit, vegetables, and dairy, living in smoke-free homes, being driven in smoke-free cars, visiting de ntal professionals, participating in early childhood activities, going to pre-school (or childcare with a pre-school program), and being read to daily by parents or carers. Also, there has been a significant decrease in current asthma.
However, some indicators of child health require more action. The proportion of children who were fully breastfed or exclusively breastfed at 6 months remains low; the proportion of children who did at least 60 minutes of physical activity outside of schoo l hours remains low; the proportion of children who used electronic media for entertainment for more than the recommended maximum of 2 hours a day remains high; there have been significant increases in the proportion of children who are either overweight o r obese, or who have difficulty getting health care when needing it.
There is a wealth of other information in the survey dataset. This 2009-2010 Summary Report and other survey reports can be accessed via the website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/surveys/index.asp. Also, a range of survey indicators are avai lable from Health Statistics New South Wales at www.healthstats.doh.health.nsw.gov.au.
Unit record data for all surveys conducted by the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence are available to authorised users of the Health Outcomes Information Statistical Toolkit (HOIST) under the terms of their confidentiality and security agreement. Those w ho do not have access to HOIST can lodge a data request with the Chief Health Officer.
Comments on the New South Wales Child Health Survey are welcome.
I thank all the individuals and organisations who contributed their time and expertise to assist in the development and conduct of the Survey in 2009-2010.
Kerry Chant
Deputy Director-General, Population Health and Chief Health Officer
March 2012
| Source: | New South Wales Child Health Survey 2009-2010 (HOIST). NSW Ministry of Health. |
| Print version: | Although this page can be printed directly from your web browser, a higher quality version is available as a PDF file that can be printed or viewed on screen. |
| Last updated on: | 1 February 2012 |