Healthy Ireland survey results 2018

Kate O’Flaherty, Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Department of Health, commented “The data
from this survey are a very valuable asset to assist the Department of Health and all other
stakeholders working for a healthy Ireland. The survey findings will help us to better measure
risk factor trends over time and the impact that policy implementation is having on supporting
people to make healthier choices.”
This is the fourth summary of the findings from the survey and adds to the data collected in the
previous surveys published in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

The survey of over 7,500 people aged 15 and over living in Ireland gives an up-to-date picture of the
health of the nation and reports on many lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption,
diet, oral health and health services.

A representative sample of 7,701 people aged 15 and older living in Ireland were interviewed between
September 2017 and June 2018.

The data from Healthy Ireland Surveys are being used to underpin policy development and
implementation to monitor, measure and evaluate progress in implementing various elements of the
Healthy Ireland Framework as well as to meet many international reporting obligations, including to
the OECD, the EU and the WHO.

For more information:https://health.gov.ie/healthy-ireland/research-and-data/

Main findings 2018

Smoking

 20% are current smokers; down from 22% last year and 23% in 2015-16
 17% are daily smokers down from 19% last year
 44% of all who smoked in the last 12 months have attempted to quit
 71% of the population approve of plain packaging. The survey took place ahead of the introduction of plain packaging
 23% of smokers said that health warnings on tobacco packaging somewhat motivated them to quit

Alcohol

 37% of drinkers binge drink on a typical drinking occasion

 Drinkers from more disadvantaged areas are more likely (43%) to binge drink than those from more affluent areas (33%)
 8% of drinkers have failed to do what was expected of them as a result of drinking

Diet and Nutrition

 15% of young people under 24 drink sugar sweetened drinks daily

 34% of people consume at least one unhealthy food item daily
 86% of people drink water at least once a day

General Health

 25% reported receiving the flu vaccine during the previous winter, with 66% of over 65s receiving the vaccine.
 66% have had their blood pressure measured during the past 12 months

Health Service Utilisation 

 74% of people have visited a GP in the past 12 months

 8% have used a GP out of hours service
 10% have used an emergency department in a public hospital

Oral Health

 79% describe their oral health as very good

Healthy Ireland survey results 2018

 47% have visited a dentist in the past 12 months