Within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008¹ and Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/255 of 19 February 2018², the European Health Interview Survey (hereinafter referred to as the “Survey”) is carried out in all EU Member States for the third time. Statistics Lithuania conducted the Survey for the first time in 2005, for the second time – in 2014.

The aim of the Survey is the production and publication of detailed statistical information on the population health status, health care and health determinants which is comparable at the EU level.

Statistical data are collected through face-to-face interviews of respondents aged 15 and older who are the residents of the Republic of Lithuania and reside in private households. In addition, the following administrative data sources are used: central database of the Population Register of the State Enterprise Centre of Registers, data of the State Social Insurance Fund Board under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (SODRA). Persons living in institutional households (care homes, foster families, prisons, monasteries, seminaries, etc.) are excluded from the Survey. The Survey collects data on population health status, long-lasting health problems, physical and sensory functional limitations, the impact of health disorders and functional limitations on daily activities, use of medicines, use of health services, physical activity, dietary habits, smoking and alcohol consumption.

In the process of designing a questionnaire and performing the Survey, methodological recommendations of the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) were followed.

The Survey is carried out using a sampling method. A sample list used for sampling is based on the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania. For the 2019 survey, 7 thousand residents of the Republic of Lithuania were selected, of whom 4,923 (70.3 per cent) participated in the Survey. A simple stratified random sampling method was used for the Survey.

The territory of the Republic of Lithuania is divided into 25 strata: separate strata cover population of the 5 major cities, population of other towns of each county and the rural population of each county. The sample size in each of these strata is proportional to the population aged 15 and older therein.

In the process of collection, processing and analysis of statistical data and dissemination of statistical information, Statistics Lithuania fully guarantees the confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organisations and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality Policy Guidelines of Statistics Lithuania.

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¹ Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work (OJ L 354, 2008, p. 70)

² Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/255 of 19 February 2018 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards statistics based on the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) (OJ L 48, 2018, p. 12).