Health, lifestyle, use of medical facilities; 2000-2009
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
This table provides data about the health, lifestyle and medical and use of medical care of the Dutch population.
The data are based on the Health Interview Survey conducted by Statistics Netherlands. The Health Interview Survey is a continuous survey. Its population consists of Dutch residents of all ages in private households.
Data available from 2000 till 2009.
Changes as of 8 June 2018:
The table has been stopped per 8th of June 2018.
Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are definitive.
When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.
Description topics
- Medical consumption
- Dentist
- Reason for contact with the dentist
- Refers to the reason for contacting the dentist in a period of 2 months prior to the time of the survey. The unit is one contact with the dentist.
- Toothache
- The unit is one contact with the dentist.
- Regular check-ups
- The unit is one contact with the dentist.
- Treatment ensuing from check-up
- The unit is one contact with the dentist.
- (Long-term) dental treatment
- The unit is one contact with the dentist.
- Taking medication
- Taking prescribed medication
- Percentage of persons who took (prescribed) medication in the fortnight preceding the interview, including medicines which were prescribed earlier. The contraceptive pill and medicines prescribed during hospital admissions are not taken into account.
- Type of prescribed medication
- Percentage of persons who take prescribed medicines by type of medicine. The respondent can choose 8 medicines from a list of 18 types of medicines (including the categories 'other' and 'unknown'). The answer refers to medication taken in the fortnight preceding the interview.
- Medicines for the eyes
- Percentage of persons taking prescribed medication for the eyes, e.g. eye salve, eye drops.
- Health and disorders
- Generic health indicator
- Generic health indicator for adolescents and adults. The figures refer to
the so-called 'Short Format 12' (SF-12). The SF-12 is a frequently used
international standard which was developed in the United States in 1995 by
Ware et al. The SF-12 consists of 12 multiple choice questions, selected
from the more comprehensive international standard SF-36. The Dutch
version of the SF-12 only interviews persons in the age category 12 years
and older in the written part of the 'Health and Labour' module. The
questions refer to various aspects of health. Seven questions refer to
physical and social behaviour and physical and emotional limitations. Four
questions refer to mental health (2 questions), vitality and pain. One
question refers to the perceived general state of health. The SF-12
provides an overall picture of the general state of physical and mental
health of the respondents.
Physical and mental norm score.
The overall physical and mental health indicators refer to a weighted
combination of the answers to all 12 underlying questions. The physical
and mental indicators are weighted differently. The basis for the weights
is the average state of health of the American population. The average
physical and mental health of the American population is 50. Thus, a score
under 50 indicates a poor health compared to the American population,
whereas a score above 50 indicates that the health of a particular
population is better than the average health of the American reference
population. The mental health of the Dutch population turns out to be
slightly above 50. The various groups referred to in the tables can also
be compared to each other and to the total Dutch average.- Separate items SF-12
- The SF-12 questions have only recently been introduced in the Integrated
System of Social Surveys (POLS) and were incorporated in the module
'Health and Labour' in 2001.
Ware J.E., Kosinski M., Keller S.D. SF-12: How to score the SF-12
Physical and Mental Health Summary Scales. Boston, MA: The Health
Institute, New England Medical Center, Second Edition, 1995.- Less careful when active: mentally
- Less careful during activities: mentally.
Question: were you less careful when at work or during other activities
than you usually are? Possible answers 'yes' or 'no'.
- Mental complaints
- Mental complaints.
The figures refer to 2 questions in the written part of the health module
(persons in the age category 12 years and older).
- being afraid: was there ever a period in your life of at least 2 weeks
during which you felt afraid or concerned?
- depressive complaints: was there ever a period in your life of at
least 2 weeks during which you felt very depressed or down? Possible
answers to both questions: 'yes' or 'no'. Respondents who answered
affirmatively were subsequently asked about their feelings during the
last 12 months.- Ever been afraid for a longer period
- Percentage of respondents (12+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you ever have a period of at least 2 weeks in your life during which
you were very afraid or concerned?
- Feelings of discomfort
- The figures refer to the following 5 questions concerning feelings of
discomfort during the last 14 days. Respondents are in the age category
4 years and older. Possible answers 'yes' or 'no'.
1 Did you have a headache during the last 14 days?
2 Did you feel weary during the last 14 days?
3 Did you suffer from insomnia during the last 14 days?
4 Did you suffer from pain in the back during the last 14 days?
5 Did you suffer from pain in the muscles or joints during the last 14
days?- Headache
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you have a headache during the last 14 days?
- Weariness
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you feel weary during the last 14 days?
- Insomnia
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you suffer from insomnia during the last 14 days?
- Pain in the back
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you suffer from pain in the back during the last 14 days?
- Pain in muscles or joints
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you suffer from pain in the muscles or joints during the last 14 days?
- At least 1 complaint
- Percentage of persons (4+) who answered 'yes' at least once to one of the
5 questions on 'feelings of discomfort'.
- Lifestyle
- Smoking
- In the 2001 basic questionnaire the respondent's smoking behaviour is
surveyed. The oral part of the health module elaborates on smoking
behaviour. Until 2001, information on smoking behaviour came from the
written part of the Health Survey.- Years former cigarette smokers smoked
- Number of years a former smoker of cigarettes smoked cigarettes. Refers
to persons in the age category 12 years and over.
- Years since former smokers stopped
- Number of years since a former smoker of cigarettes stopped smoking
cigarettes. Refers to persons in the age category 12 years and over.
- Medical examination cervical cancer
- The respondents were women aged 20 years and older. These questions are
relevant to the preventative screening of the population for cervical
cancer.- Smear tests until 2001
- Ever been tested for cervical cancer?
- The respondents were women in the age category 20 years and older.
Hence, the (standard) age category 18-24 only covers persons in the age
category 20-24.