Community survey

One of the main research components of GoWell was the community health and wellbeing survey. This took place in four waves over the last ten years of the programme. 

The aim of the survey was to describe changes in the GoWell areas and the residential, neighbourhood, community and health changes for individuals who lived in these areas.

The survey involved a random sample of households across each of the study areas at each wave and also a longitudinal element which re-interviewed participants from previous waves.

The questions included in the survey were developed in consultation with the GoWell sponsors, other practitioners, and through a review of local and national surveys. More detailed information about the questionnaire development in the first (wave 1) survey in 2006 is contained in Working Paper 3 Community Survey Wave 1 Questionnaire.

The survey interviews took place in people's homes by trained interviewers. The core issues that were covered are:

Households

Questions were asked on household make-up and relationships, employment status, religion, ethnicity and citizenship.

Housing

Questions covered house size, type, tenure, quality and satisfaction with the home, housing improvements, psychosocial benefits.

Neighbourhood and communities

The neighbourhood and communities questions asked people about where they lived, how they rated the quality of the local environment and services, and about the sense of community, reputation, and problems in their area.

Social networks

The social network questions asked about people's social contact and social support both with close friends and family and with the wider community, and civic involvement.

Health and wellbeing

The health and wellbeing questions asked people about their general health and wellbeing including health behaviours, such as diet, exercise, smoking, drinking etc.

Four surveys were conducted. The wave 1 or baseline survey was conducted in May to July 2006. In total 6,016 interviews were achieved, representing a 50% response rate. The findings from this survey are contained in Community health and wellbeing survey baseline findings 2006.

The second or wave 2 survey took place in June to September 2008 and a total of 4,657 interviews were achieved, representing a 48% response rate. The findings from this survey are reported in Progress for People and Places: Monitoring change in Glasgow's communities.

The third or wave 3 survey was conducted in July to October 2011. A total of 4,063 interviews were achieved, representing a 45% response rate. Responses from this survey are reported on and compared with the previous two surveys in four separate reports: Health outcomes over timeHousing outcomes over time; Community outcomes over time; and Neighbourhood outcomes over time.

The fourth survey took place in 2015. Download the survey questionnaire (PDF). A total of 3,471 interviews were achieved, representing a 47% response rate. Responses from this survey are reported on and compared with the previous surveys in the report: Health and the wider determinants of health over time