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
- 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.
- Stomach and bowel disorders
- Percentage of persons taking prescribed medication for stomach and bowel disorders. Including medicines to stimulate digestion.
- Sleeping pills and sedatives
- Percentage of persons taking prescribed sleeping pills and sedatives. Including tranquillizers.
- Consumption of non-prescribed medication
- Percentage of persons taking non-prescribed medication by type of medicine in the fortnight preceding the interview (self-medication). Problems of interpretation may be involved, for instance, some respondents consider aspirin a medicine, whereas others do not.
- Type of non-prescribed medication
- Percentage of persons who take non-prescribed medicines by type of medicine. The respondent can choose 10 medicines from a list of 12 types of medicines (including the categories 'other' and 'unknown'). The answer refers to medicines taken in the fortnight preceding the interview.
- Stomach and bowel disorders
- Percentage of persons taking non-prescribed medication for stomach and bowel disorders. Including medicines to stimulate digestion.
- Sleeping pills and sedatives
- Percentage of persons taking non-prescribed sleeping pills and sedatives. Including tranquillizers.
- Health and disorders
- Chronic disorders
- Chronic disorders until 2001
- Refers to a list of 24 diseases and disorders. The respondent is invited
to indicate if he/she suffered from one of these diseases/disorders during
the last 12 months. The figures refer to the percentage of persons who
answered affirmatively. Various questions regarding disorders/diseases
were not asked to persons under the age of 12. They are assumed to have
answered 'no'. The following 8 diseases/disorders are involved:
- hypertension
- (the effects of) a stroke
- stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer
- gallstones or cystitis
- kidney stones
- prolapse
- thyroid disorder
- arthritis.
In 2001 new questions were formulated. Therefore, figures from 2001 and
later years cannot be compared to those referring to 2000 and previous
years.- Thyroid gland disorder
- Chronic disorders from 2001
- Refers to 14 diseases and disorders and 1 category 'other chronic
disease or disorder'. The respondent has to indicate whether he/she
suffered from one or more of these diseases/disorders in the last 12
months. The figures refer to the percentage of persons who answered
'yes'. Questions regarding a number of chronic disorders mentioned below
were not asked to persons in the age category under 12. They are assumed
to have answered 'no'.
- hypertension
- constriction of the blood vessels
- dizziness
- incontinence
- arthrosis
- diabetes, types 1 and 2
- stroke
- myocardial infarction
- other serious heart condition
- cancer.
This implies that figures referring to 2001 and later years cannot be
compared to those referring to 2000 and earlier years.- Disorder of the elbow,wrist or hand 2001
- Percentage of persons of all ages who answered 'yes' to the question:
Did you suffer from a serious disorder of the elbow, wrist or hand in the
last 12 months?
- 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.- Going up and down the stairs
- The question is whether the respondent has difficulty going up or down the
stairs. The three possible answers are: 'yes' , 'yes, slighty' and 'not at
all'.
- Mental Health Inventory (MHI)
- 'Mental Health Inventory' for adolescents and adults.
The figures refer to the 'Mental Health Inventory 5' (MHI-5), an
international standard for mental health, consisting of 5 questions.
The MHI-5 is an extract from the 'Short Format 36' (SF-36), an
international standard which gauges health in detail. The MHI-5 is
part of SF-12 which is integrally included in the written part of the
POLS module 'Health and Labour' (persons in the age category 12 years and
older). To present a complete MHI-5, the 3 remaining MHI questions from
the SF-36 have also been included in the POLS module. All questions refer
to the period of 4 weeks preceding the interview.
The following questions were asked:
1. Did you feel very nervous?
2. Were you so depressed that nothing/nobody could cheer you up?
3. Were you composed?
4. Did you feel depressed and down?
5. Were you happy?
These MHI-5 questions are included in the POLS module 'Health and Labour'
from 2001.- Not composed and calm
- The percentage of respondents who answered 'sometimes', 'seldom' or
'never' to the question on 'feeling composed and calm'.
Refers to persons in the age category 12 years and over.
- Depressed and down
- The percentage of respondents who answered 'permanently', 'mostly' or
'often' to the question on 'feeling depressed and down'.
Refers to persons in the age category 12 years and over.
- Functional limitations
- Functional limitations are observed in the module 'Health and Labour
Conditions' of the Integrated System of Social Surveys in 3 groups of
questions:
a. The OECD indicator for persons in the age category 12 years and older
b. The GDA (General Daily Activities) indicator for persons in the age
category 55 and older.
c. Temporary activity limitations and bed days for persons of all ages.- Limitation of activities and bed days
- Question: Did you depart from your daily routine during the last 2 weeks
because of illness or injury? If so, how many days? Did you have to stay
in bed? If so, how many days? Multiplication by 26 provides data on an
annual basis [26 periods of 14 days = 1 year].- Limitation of activities per 14 days
- Percentage of persons whose activities are limited per 14 days.
Percentage of persons (0+) who answered 'yes' to the question: Did you
depart from your daily routine during the last 2 weeks because of illness
or injury?
- Limitation of activities per year
- Days with limitation of activities per year. The figures refer to
averages. Question: How many days during the last fortnight was your
activity reduced by illness or injury? Multiplication by 26 provides
figures on an annual basis.
The figures refer to persons in the age category 1 year and older.
Hence, the age category 0-11 only covers persons in the age category 1-11.
- Persons with bed days per 14 days
- Percentage of persons with bed days per 14 days.
Percentage of persons (0+) who answered 'yes' to the question: Did you
depart from your daily routine during the last 2 weeks because of illness
or injury? and 'yes' to the question: Were there any days during this
period that you stayed in bed for the most part of the day or the whole
day?
- Bed days per year
- Bed days per year.
Days with limitation of activities per year. The figures refer to
averages. Question: How many days during the last fortnight was your
activity reduced by illness or injury? Bedridden patients are not taken
into account. Multiplication by 26 yields figures on an annual basis.
The figures refer to persons in the age category 1 year and older.
Hence, the age category 0-11 only covers persons in the age category 1-11.
- Lifestyle
- Height and weight
- Figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
Height: respondent's reported height in centimetres without shoes.
Weight: respondent's reported weight in kilogrammes without clothes.- Reported height
- Figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
Hence, the age category 18-24 only covers persons in the age category
20-24.
- Reported weight
- Figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older. Hence,
the age (standard) category 18-24 only covers persons in the age category
20-24.
- Underweight and overweight
- The figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
The body mass index (BMI) is an indication of over or underweight, defined
as weight (in kilogrammes) divided by the square of the height (in
metres).
The BMI criteria are as follows:
underweight: BMI < 18.5.
normal weight: 18.5 =< BMI < 25.0.
overweight: 25.0 =< BMI < 30.0.
serious overweight: BMI >= 30.0.
The tables do not include respondents of unknown height and/or
weight (2%) and respondents who report an unlikely relation between height
and weight (0.5%), e.g. BMI < 14 or BMI > 40.- Underweight
- Persons reporting their BMI < 18.5.
The figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
Hence, the (standard) age category 18-24 only covers persons in the age
category 20-24.
- Normal weight
- Persons reporting their BMI in the range 18.5 =< BMI < 25.0.
The figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
Hence, the (standard) age category 18-24 only covers persons in the age
category 20-24.
- Overweight
- Persons reporting their BMI >= 25.0.
The figures refer to persons in the age category 20 years and older.
Hence, the (standard) age category 18-24 only covers persons in the age
category 20-24.
- Dental protheses/dentures
- Upper and lower dentures
- The figures refer to persons in the age category 16 years or older.
Hence, the (standard) age category 12-17 only covers persons aged 16 or
17.