Frequently Asked Questions about the County Public Health Survey
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Here you will find answers to questions about the survey.
Why have I been invited?
You have been invited because participants in public health surveys are randomly selected from the Norwegian Population Register. This process ensures a representative samle that can provide valuable insight into the health status of your county. Your responses help create a more accurate picture of how residents are doing and can support local public health initiatives.
How can I take part in the Public Health Survey?
The survey is sent to a random sample of residents in the county. To take part, you must receive an invitation via Helsenorge. The survey is completed digitally using a mobile phone, tablet or computer. Completing the questionnaire takes approximately 15–20 minutes.
Why is it important to take part?
Your responses provide the county authority with important insight into residents’ health, wellbeing and quality of life. The survey results are used to develop measures that improve public health and quality of life where you live. The aim is to obtain an accurate picture of how people are doing in the county.
Why do I receive the invitation via Helsenorge?
You receive the invitation via Helsenorge because it is a secure and reliable solution. This ensures that the invitation is genuinely from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and reduces the risk of fraud. Helsenorge follows strict rules for handling personal data, and your information is processed in accordance with these requirements. Helsenorge also brings together several services in one place and is a natural part of the digital health services you already use.
Can I complete the questionnaire in several sessions?
Yes. You can save your responses as many times as you like while completing the questionnaire on Helsenorge, allowing you to continue at a later point. You will find the questionnaire again as a task in your Helsenorge inbox.
What happens if I close the questionnaire without saving?
If you close the questionnaire without saving, any information you have entered may be lost. We therefore recommend using the save button before exiting.
How can I access my responses?
When you have answered all questions and submitted the questionnaire, you will receive a confirmation receipt. A copy of the completed questionnaire is automatically saved under Documents on Helsenorge.
What should I do if I have received an invitation but do not wish to take part?
Participation is voluntary. If you do not wish to take part, you can answer “no” to the consent question and submit the questionnaire. This will prevent you from receiving reminders. You may also choose to simply ignore the survey invitations.
How is the information from the survey processed?
The information you provide is stored securely and processed in accordance with applicable data protection regulations. The data are used at group level for statistics and research, and no individuals can be identified in published results. By taking part, you also consent to the linking of your responses with data from health registers to obtain a more comprehensive picture of public health.
Read more about data protection in Your participation rights in the County Public Health Survey. Please also see the information leaflet for full details on how your data are processed.
What should I do if I have problems submitting the questionnaire?
Sometimes technical issues may occur due to high traffic or a poor or unstable internet connection. If this happens, please try opening the survey link again later. You can also try accessing the form in a different web browser.
Can a legal guardian complete the questionnaire?
Unfortunately, legal guardians cannot respond on behalf of the person under guardianship. This is because the survey requires login through ID-porten at level 4, due to the linking of register data.
Is the questionnaire available in multiple languages?
The questionnaire is available in Bokmål and Nynorsk, and sometimes in additional languages, depending on which languages the county authority provides.
I have completed the questionnaire, but it does not include questions about my specific health conditions
Although some health conditions are not specifically addressed in the questionnaire, we greatly appreciate all responses. We encourage you to answer the questions you can and to skip those that do not feel relevant or that you do not wish to answer. To ensure a comprehensive picture of overall health, researchers may link survey responses to information from health registers such as the Patient Register, the Prescription Database and Statistics Norway’s registers. This provides broader access to important health information, while always safeguarding participants’ privacy.
How can I provide feedback or suggestions for improving the questionnaire?
If you have feedback on the questionnaire, you may send an email to fhus-deltaker@fhi.no. Your feedback is valuable and will be forwarded to the researchers responsible for the questionnaire, helping to ensure continuous improvement of the surveys.
Contact information
If you have questions about the survey or your participation, you may contact:
- The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)
Can answer practical and technical questions about the survey, data protection and participant rights: fhus-deltaker@fhi.no
Please avoid sending sensitive information (such as details about health conditions) by email.
- The county authority
Can also respond to general enquiries. Please see the relevant email address or telephone number on the county authority’s website.