In Wave 16 Understanding Society is collecting new health data from our participants.
Physical health measures, such as height, weight, waist and hip circumference, and blood pressure are important factors for our health.
Taking these measurements in a large number of people can help to predict certain health patterns within a population. Changes in these measurements within a population reflect the changes in a society’s diet and lifestyle. Collecting blood samples can give researchers really helpful information about different aspects of people’s health. For those participants who took part earlier in Understanding Society, when we previously collected blood samples, we will be able to look at changes in health since then.
What health measures do you want to collect?
We would like to collect your blood pressure, your waist and hip measurements, your height and weight, and a blood sample. We would also like you to complete some memory and number tasks.
Waist and hip measurements
The waist and hip circumferences are measures of the distribution of our body fat (both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal). There has been increasing interest in the distribution of body fat as an important indicator of increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Research suggests that waist circumference is a predictor of health risk like the body mass index (BMI).
You can find instructions for taking your waist and hip measurements here.
Blood pressure
Changes in blood pressure can tell us about someone’s health and any risk factors for future health issues. A person’s blood pressure is influenced by their age. It can also vary from day to day with our emotions, the food we eat, the temperature around us, whether we smoke, drink alcohol, take medication, or whether we are in pain.
Before your interview, we would like you to measure your blood pressure and write the results on the measurement card provided. This can be done at home, at a local pharmacy or a GP surgery that offers this service. If you are willing to get your blood pressure measured, you will be asked to provide the measurements in your interview.
If you are pregnant we are not asking you to get your blood pressure measured.
Blood sample collection
If you are willing to, we would like you to collect a finger-prick blood sample. We will send you a collection kit for this sample after your interview.
Why are you collecting blood samples?
Many studies routinely collect biological samples, including blood. Collecting blood samples now will give researchers really helpful information of different aspects of people’s health. For those people who took part earlier in Understanding Society when we previously collected blood we will be able to look at changes in health since then.
Read more information about blood sample collection here.
Memory and number measures
Tracking mental functioning can help us see how our brains develop as we get older and why some people lose some of their mental agility in later life. To help us better understand how our brains process memory and number tasks we would like you to complete a short set of online tasks.
Read more about the memory and number measures here.
Measurements taken by your interviewer
If you are being interviewed in-person, your interviewer will measure your blood pressure using an inflatable cuff that goes around the upper arm. If you would like to know the result, the interviewer will tell you your blood pressure along with an indication of its meaning, but a clinical diagnosis cannot be made on measurements taken on a single occasion.
If you are being interviewed in-person, your interviewer will also measure your standing height. They will also ask to measure your weight (with your clothes on). The interviewer will also provide you with a tape measure and talk you through the process of taking your waist and hip measurements.
Do I have to take part?
Like every other part of Understanding Society, this part of the project is completely voluntary. You do not need to have any measurements (e.g., blood pressure, height, weight, waist and hips circumference) taken or a blood sample collected if you do not wish to, but we hope you will agree to them as they are a very important part of this survey. If the survey results are to be useful to us, it is important that we obtain information from different people in all states of health. If you are happy to take part in some measurements and sample collections but not others, this is absolutely fine.
Are there any risks involved in participating?
There are no risks associated with measuring your blood pressure, waist and hip, and height and weight.
Your finger may be a bit sore from the finger prick used to collect the blood sample. As you would with any small cut, the area should be kept clean to avoid infection. The blood collection kit is sterile and following the instructions provided in the kit will minimise risk of infection.
What if I change my mind during the study?
Your participation is entirely voluntary. You have the right to change your mind about any measurement or withdraw from the study at any time without explanation. You can withdraw your consent to store your blood at any time, without giving a reason, by asking us in writing for your blood to be removed from storage and destroyed.
There is a privacy statement specifically for the Wave 16 health data collection. You can find the privacy statement here.
Any questions?
If you would like to contact us at any point you can telephone us on Freephone 0800 252 853 or email contact@understandingsociety.ac.uk If you are interviewed face-to-face, the interviewer will try to answer any questions you have.
If you would rather read this information in a pdf format, please download the health measures leaflet. If you would like to read this leaflet in Welsh, you can download it here.