Did you know this about … health?

Health worries or looking after a sick partner, child, or relative can be stressful, painful and difficult. Life as a partner and parent can be tricky enough but dealing with the further stress and anxiety of a poorly loved one can put pressure on family life. Here are some statistics about health, caring, relationships and families.

How many people are carers?

• In 2001 there were about 5.5 million adults aged over 19 providing unpaid care. Of that 70 % were caring for relatives including parents, parents-in-law, spouses and children. (1)
• 19% of those providing unpaid care were caring for a spouse or partner and nearly half of those people were providing care for 20 hours a week or more. (1)
• 7% of those providing care for a family member was looking after a child. (1)

How healthy are we?

• In 2006 most men and women rated themselves as being in good health. 9% of men and 11% of women said their health was not good. (2)

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How many people drink regularly?

• 23% of men aged 16 and over reported drinking more than 8 units of alcohol a day. 15% of women reported drinking more than 6 units a day. (2)

How many people are smokers?

• In 2006 23% of men and 21% of women were smokers. (2)

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How prevalent is cancer?

• Around one-third of the population develop some form of cancer at some point in their lives. (2)
• Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women – the incidence rate t 121 cases per 100,000 of the population. (2)
• As cancer may be hereditary, gene assessments are now available to measure cancer risk and other diseases.

How many of us have a mental illness of some form?

• One in six adults in the UK in 2000 aged between 16 and 74 had some form of neurotic disorder in the seven days prior to the survey. (2)

References

1. Smallwood, S. & Wilson, B. eds. (2007) Focus on Families. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.
2. Self, A. ed. (2008) Social Trends 38. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.