Self-perceived health space and geographic areas in Switzerland

Self-perceived health is an important characteristic for the investigation of public health questions. Based on health characteristics from the 1997 Swiss Health Survey, the relationship between health perception and geographic areas in Switzerland was analysed. Using an explorative data analysis, categorical principal component analysis, a two-dimensional ‘health space’ was created, using 16 items of self-reported health. The first dimension of this health space represents ‘general health’, the second dimension contrasts ‘mental and physical symptoms’. Into this health space, five different Swiss area typologies were projected. The area types showed distinct ‘localities’ within the health space, which vary with regard to the magnitude of age and gender differentiation. This type of visualising or ‘mapping’ of area types within health space has not previously been conducted.