Table 2 Variables measured in the HELIUS questionnaire

General

Demographic factors:

General health, chronic conditions, quality of life (SF-12), functional limitations

Sex, age, marital status, household composition

Ethnicity:

Country of birth of respondent and his/her (grand)parents

Explanatory mechanisms that link ethnicity to health:

Migration history, educational level and occupational status, religion, cultural distance (acculturation), ethnic identity, perceived discrimination (Everyday Discrimination Scale)

Proximal risk factors:

- Health-related behaviour: Smoking, alcohol intake, cannabis use, physical activity, weight perception, fruit intake, vegetarian diet, dietary pattern (breakfast, lunch, evening meal), coffee/tea intake, sugary drinks intake

- Health care use and related factors: Ability to understand medical information (health literacy), compliance with medication, perceived quality of GP, health care use (GP, specialists, psychological care, alternative health care), health care use in other countries

- Working conditions: physical activity at work, work-related recovery opportunities

Cardiovascular health

Proximal risk factors:

Angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, intermittent claudication (Rose Questionnaire), heart failure, cerebrovascular events

History of high blood pressure/hypercholesterolaemia/diabetes, family history of high blood pressure/hypercholesterolaemia/diabetes/cardiovascular disease/sudden death, fainting history, age of menarche, age of menopause

Mental health

Proximal risk factors:

Depressive disorders (PHQ-9), nicotine use-related disorder (Fagerström), alcohol use-related disorder (AUDIT), cannabis use-related disorder (CUDIT)

perceived social support (DES subscale), childhood trauma, parental psychiatric history, mastery (Pearlin-Schooler Mastery Scale), neuroticism and extraversion (NEO Five-Factor Inventory), stressful life events

Infectious diseases

Proximal risk factors:

History and presence of allergy, asthma, rhinitis, food allergy, urogenital infections

Family history of allergy/asthma, travel behaviour (visited other countries), use of self-tests, blood transfusions, use of drugs by injection, surgery in other countries, sexual behaviour, use of contraceptives (women), human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination (women), circumcision (men)