Census - Health Question

[MichaelJH]

I have filled my census form but not submitted it as I am reviewing some of my answers. One is "How is your general health". Despite everything I think it is Fair rather than Bad or Very Bad. Should I maybe put Bad. What have others put and why?

[MissisF]

I think you should put bad or very bad. The reason is that they are using this question to plan health and social care in the future and whilst you are a pretty amazing guy with everything that’s happened to you, the fact is that you’ll need NHS support in the coming years. I filled in our questionnaire and I have put my husband’s health as bad ( heart/stroke) but mine as very good ( I’m lucky to have no health issues🤞🏻) I think it’s important to be realistic. Hope you get your stump sorted. Take care 🙂

[Peony4575]

I think it’s very subjective and there is no right and wrong answer . If you think your health is fair put fair . Everyone will be answering according to their own criteria so like the census itself it is of very limited value . A lot of people will not complete it honestly and accurately for a variety of motives so don't agonise over it too much

[Sunnie2day]

Wee joke first...is there a box for 'on-going' or 'in progress'?

Joke over, I'm in Scotland so won't be doing the Census until next year but considering how I feel today I think I would tick the 'fair' box.

My reason for that is a current acute flare (dad.gum.it!) of pericarditis. I wouldn't say my health is bad - I am seeing some improvement (no wheezing or chest pain today, woot!), so my choice (given the lack of 'in progress', lol) would be fair, meaning not great but not terrible or terribly terrible (sorry, that advert just played).

Like me with that ~#*8£#** pericarditis flare, if you are seeing some progress with the main concern just now (your stump wound), although still not completely healed 'fair' would be what to tick, I'd think.

[Westie2012 in reply to Sunnie2day]

I’m slowly recovering from a severe case of pericarditis and an effusion from December , I put fair on my census .

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I've put good as I feel well. It's a good job the Census wasn't in March 2019 or I'd have been looking for the option "Where do I start?"On the issue of the Census, I was disappointed to see that Jedi still doesn't appear in the options of Religion and requires to be typed! The Office of National Statistics has confirmed that there is a processing code - (896) but pointed out that this merely means that it has been registered as a common answer to the "religion" question and that this does not confer on it the status of official recognition.

In a press release after the 2001 Census they revealed the figures with a heading - 390,000 Jedi there are.

[Hidden in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Love that 1st bit Spirit of the Floyd lol. I put Good as well but was thinking exactly the same as you - Glad they didn't ask me the beginning of last year or I'd have been filling them in for a Month ha ha!!! 😂😂

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Well that makes two of us who are Jedi so far. A healthy 0.008%!

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to MichaelJH]

As Yoda would say:- Smaller in number are we, but larger in mind.

[Nettekin]

Good question, Michael! I did have to think about this a bit too. I eventually decided that as I am going through tests for liver problems at the moment I couldn't really put very good - otherwise why am I having tests? If you see what I mean! The heart event of 2019 is hopefully behind me now and although I'm on all the usual pills I have no symptoms - so heart wise at least I hope I fall into the very good category. So in the end I put Good!

[francesw47]

Its very subjective - and I also had to pause to think about this one. In the end I put 'bad' as although I feel ok most days there are other days when I feel dreadful...all related to heart issues. So as the question was a blunt instrument and there was no scope for nuance and the results will be used to plan services, I put 'bad'. Didn't like doing it as it goes against the grain.BTW...there may be no place to put Jedi, but neither was there any recognition of the species from which Yoda came....big Yoda fans in this house!

Frances

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

In the last three months two people I know have died from CovID, three have had cancer operations (all clear at the moment), one friend has broken their knee and a friend's brother after being discharged from hospital flowing treatment for CovID has been readmitted with long CovID. Maybe I am OK'ish! I can do pirate impersonations! 🐦 🏴‍☠️

So I think I will put Fair!

[marypw]

My husband and I found that was a really difficult question - lupus, osteoarthritis (2 hip replacements) and a dodgy heart valve for me and the boss has had two emergency lifesaving mega surgeries, but is still planning a Hadrian's Wall walk. We both went for fair. I guess if the census is being used to determine future medical needs, then that's about right.

I dislike the 'what is your religion' question - the clear assumption is that you have one. Surely it should be 'what religion do you follow' or something of the sort.

And it's important so that appropriate numbers of school places can be determined. We went for no religion - there isn't a box for very lapsed Catholics

😃😃Hoping your stump is healing up - I presume if you're thinking about pirate impressions things are a little easier today?

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to marypw]

You may have seen I put Jedi as my religion. I am like yourself a very lapsed Catholic. I don't feel it really helps with planning with school places. From my degree days I am only in touch with one person. He decided to become a teacher. Being a strong Catholic his second teaching job was in a Catholic school where he remained until retirement. In final years he was there the school had to accept non-Catholics. Many parents were keen to for their children to go to this school because of high rates of academic success. This made planning of assemblies and similar areas extremely difficult.

Basically I still feel in overload mode but at the weekend you cannot call anyone and you know they will not call you so it's not worth thinking about.

[JennyRx in reply to MichaelJH]

That’s a bit strange. I was at a Catholic school for a while but our family strict agnostics. We had to accept the assemblies etc and all other Catholic stuff. as my parents had chosen to send us to a Catholic school. We learnt the catechism along with everyone else. It never occurred to my parents that we would be expected to do otherwise. Their school, their rules. And I put FAIR on the census. Then found my husband had done the same. He has hyperlipidaemia and hypertension well controlled and can run 10k. I was wondering what good would look like to him 😂

[IanMK in reply to MichaelJH]

Like you, another very lapsed catholic here.

I lost touch with my university colleagues very quickly. I did, however regain contact with 6th form pals around the time of Friendsreunited and still keep in touch. I was only at the school for 2 years but they hold many memories and have had a significant effect on my life. Although the school was in North Yorkshire and I now live in Buckinghamshire, one of those pals lives very close indeed.

Oh - I put ‘Good’. I appear very well preserved for 66 and remain very active. It’s just my pacemaker and prostate that lower my score 😉

[Maisie2014]

This is a good question. We think too much about what the answer should be I think. If I’d have done the census last month I’d have said fair and my husband’s would have been just good. However I’ve improved considerably mentally so I put good. My improvement has obviously affected my husband so he’s now very good. 😊

[Spangle14]

Having watched Bill Bailey in Limboland recently, I think it should have a box 'not too bad'

[Peony4575 in reply to Spangle14]

That would sit well with the British preference for understatement !

[LBCdance]

The census as I understand it is to get a snapshot of how the population is at the time (that is one reason they stipulate a specific date for completion). They aren't interested in individual specific diagnoses and treatments as they can get those from various medical data, hospitals, GPs etc: we are all statistics somewhere! So I filled the health question is by how I thought my health was at the time. (always hoping for improvement) As long as you are thoughtful and honest in your reply no need to agonise over it in my opinion as there isn't a right or wrong

[Handel]

I put fair as my diabetes is fairly well controlled, the cancer appears to be on a long term vacation!! and the kidney disease as was, was down to a clerical error in the testing department!! Lovely to hear from you again. I hope things are going OK. xxxx

[Meatless]

Michael if you are putting fair then using your ongoing medical challenges as a bench mark would have to put me in the very good box!! Our health is a state of mind to some extent and your outlook is inspiring to others. Good to hear from you and hope that your current challenge with the stump is improving for you...take care.

[lisburb]

I pondered on this question too. I put down fair, as that is how I feel. My problems have either been eradicated or fixed, so I no longer need more than an annual check up. I consider myself very lucky. With the advances in modern medcine I am still walking around at nearly 60, had I been this age 100 years ago I def would not, be here.

[Qualipop]

I put good even though I@ve had a heart attack and am disabled. My body's packed up but I am still pretty healthy

[Alison_L]

After I'd had a 5 minute cry to myself, I plumped for "Bad". It doesn't specify physical or mental health, and that is how I feel. Or, as I posted on facebook (excuse the language) -