In 2020, Santé publique France launched the 12th edition of the "Health Barometers" with the aim of guiding public health prevention and public information policies.

A wide range of topics were addressed with all or some of the participants in this edition: the environment, addictions (tobacco, alcohol), vaccination, diet and physical activity, the health of older adults, suicidal behavior, antibiotic resistance, musculoskeletal disorders, accidents, and swimming ability.

Fieldwork for the 2020 survey began on January 8, 2020, and was scheduled to continue until early July in order to collect 25,000 interviews and thus produce regional indicators. Fieldwork was suspended on March 16 with the implementation of lockdown measures. By that date, 10,318 interviews had been conducted with individuals aged 18 to 85, residing in metropolitan France and speaking French. The telephone interview lasted an average of 33 minutes.

The survey resumed on June 4, 2020, with the goal of conducting 5,000 new interviews, using a shortened 19-minute questionnaire containing only a few indicators (addictions, vaccination, physical activity, health of older adults, and suicidal behavior), as well as a new module focusing on COVID-19 and lockdown. These indicators will be analyzed in a before-and-after comparison relative to the lockdown period. The survey method relies on the random generation of landline and mobile phone numbers.

View the survey questionnaire (January 8, 2020 – March 16, 2020: pre-lockdown)
View the revised questionnaire (starting June 4, 2020: post-lockdown)
View the methodology

Results

Alcohol

Exceeding the guidelines for lower-risk alcohol consumption in 2020: results from the Santé publique France Health Barometer.
Authors: Raphaël Andler, Guillemette Quatremère, Arnaud Gautier, Noémie Soullier, Emmanuel Lahaie, Jean-Baptiste Richard, Viêt Nguyen-Thanh. Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, No. 17 - November 9, 2021.

Illicit drugs: cannabis

Levels of cannabis use in France in 2020. Preliminary results from the 2020 Santé publique France Health Barometer regarding cannabis use among the adult population.
Authors: Olivier Le Nézet, Antoine Philippon (OFDT), Emmanuel Lahaie, Raphaël Andler (Santé publique France).

Mental Health

Prevalence and trends in suicidal thoughts in metropolitan France in 2020 – Results from the Health Barometer.
Authors: Léon, C. and du Roscoät, E. In “Suicide: Measuring the Impact of the COVID-19 Health Crisis – Contrasting Effects Within the Population and Mental Distress Among Young People,” National Suicide Observatory (ONS), 5th Report. September 2022.

Tobacco

Attempts to quit smoking during the “Month Without Tobacco” campaign (2016–2019): results from the Santé publique France Health Barometers. Bull Epidémiol Hebd., 2021;(16):284–9.
Authors: Guignard R, Gautier A, Andler R, Soullier N, Nguyen-Thanh V.

Tobacco use among adults in 2020: results from the Santé publique France Health Barometer.
Authors: Pasquereau Anne, Andler Raphaël, Guignard Romain, Soullier Noémie, Gautier Arnaud, Richard Jean-Baptiste, Nguyen-Thanh Viêt. Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2021, No. 8, pp. 132–139

Other topics

Uses and perceptions of medications among French older adults: results from the 2020 French Health Barometer survey
Authors: Anh Thi-Quynh Tran, Noémie Soullier, Joël Ankri, Marie Herr, Laure Carcaillon-Bentata. BMC Geriatrics 22, Article number: 602 (2022).