Health, lifestyle, health care use and supply, causes of death; key figures
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
This table provides an overview of the key figures on health and care available on StatLine. All figures are taken from other tables on StatLine, either directly or through a simple conversion. In the original tables, breakdowns by characteristics of individuals or other variables are possible.
The period after the year of review before data become available differs between the data series.
The number of exam passes/graduates in year t is the number of persons who obtained a diploma in school/study year starting in t-1 and ending in t.
Data available from: 2001
Status of the figures:
2025:
All available figures are definite.
2024:
Most available figures are definite.
Figures are provisional for:
- causes of death;
- diagnoses known to the general practitioner;
- supplied drugs;
- AWBZ/Wlz-funded long term care;
- youth care;
- persons employed in health and welfare;
- persons employed in healthcare;
- Mbo health care graduates;
- Hbo nursing graduates / medicine graduates (university);
- expenditures on health and welfare;
- average distance to facilities;
- profitability and operating results at institutions;
2023:
Most available figures are definite.
Figures are provisional for:
- hospital admissions by some diagnoses;
- average period of hospitalisation;
- physicians and nurses employed in care;
- persons employed in health and welfare;
- persons employed in healthcare;
Figures are revised provisional for:
- expenditures on health and welfare.
2022:
Most available figures are definite.
Figures are revised provisional for:
- expenditures on health and welfare.
2021 and earlier:
All available figures are definite.
Changes as of 18 December 2025:
More recent figures have been added for:
- crude birth rate;
- live births to teenage mothers;
- perinatal mortality at pregnancy duration at least 24 weeks;
- diagnoses known to the general practitioner;
- supplied drugs;
- persons aged 80 or older;
- AWBZ/Wlz-funded long term care;
- youth care;
- expenditures on health and welfare;
- average distance to facilities;
- profitability and operating results at institutions;
When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in July 2026.
Description topics
- Births, deaths and life expectancy
- Crude birth rate, the number of live births to teenage mothers and older mothers, some causes of death, perinatal mortality, life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
- Crude birth rate
- Live born children per thousand of the average population.
- Live births to teenage mothers
- Live born children to mothers younger than 20 years at the infant's birth.
Mother’s age (exact):
The number of whole years that have passed since the mother's date of birth.
Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
- Live births to 35+ mothers
- Live born children to mothers aged 35 years or older at the infant's birth.
Mother’s age (exact):
The number of whole years that have passed since the mother's date of birth.
Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
- Live births to 40+ mothers
- Live born children to mothers aged 40 years or older at the infant's birth.
Mother’s age (exact):
The number of whole years that have passed since the mother's date of birth.
Live born child:
A baby showing some sign of life after birth, regardless of the duration of pregnancy.
- Some causes of death
- Deaths by main primary cause of death per 10 000 of the average population.
In addition to relative figures for road traffic accidents and suicides, absolute numbers are also presented.
The basis for the classification and coding used for mortality by cause of death is the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD; World Health Organisation (WHO)), version 10.
Average population
The average population in agegroup L for year t is calculated as follows:
((Population in agegroup (L) on January 1st year t)+
(Population in agegroup (L) on January 1st year t+1))/2.
The calculation of the average of children at the age of zero years differs from this definition and has been calculated as follows:
((live births in year t)+(children aged zero years on 1 January of year t+1))/2.- Suicide and self-inflicted injury
- Suicide and self-inflicted injury.
ICD-codes:
ICD-10: X60-X84;
ICD-9: E950-E959;
ICD-8: E950-E959.
- Health and disease
- Perceived health, contacts with the GP and hospital admissions for some diagnoses, sickness absence
- Self-perceived health less than good
- People answering 'moderate', 'poor' and 'very poor' to the question 'Generally speaking, how is your health?'. Other possible answers are 'good' or 'very good'.
- Hospital admissions by some diagnoses
- Clinical and day care admissions and observations without overnight stay in general and university hospitals and two hospitals specialising in one type of disease.
Diagnoses are recorded according to the 'International Classification of Diseases'. Up to 2013 version 9 was used (ICD-9-CM), From 2013 onwards version 10 (ICD-10) is used.
Diagnoses are classified according to the International Shortlist for Hospital Morbidity Tabulation (ISHMT). Categories are definied slightly different using ICD-9 (up to 2013) or ICD-10 (from 2013).
Figures on diagnoses refer to the principal diagnosis registered at each admission, as indicated at discharge form the hospital.
The figures are expressed per 10 000 of the population in the year under review.- Dis. musculoskeletal syst. and connectiv
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.
ICD-codes:
ICD-9: 099.3, 136.1, 279.4, 446, 710-739
ICD-10: M00-M99.
- Sickness absence
- Sickness absence rate.
The number of days employees are absent because of illness (excluding maternity leave) as a percentage of the total number of working or calendar days.
- Use of health care services
- Average period of hospitalisation, supplied drugs, number of contacts with health care providers, AWBZ/Wlz- funded long term care, including persons older than 80 in the population, youth care.
- AWBZ/Wlz-funded long term care
Residential care funded under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ, before 2015), and care funded under the Chronic Care Act (Wlz, starting 2015).- Persons with AWBZ/Wlz-funded (res.) care
- The number of persons aged 18 years or older at the end of the year (second Friday of November) receiving residential care under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ, before 2015) and care funded under the Chronic Care Act (Wlz, starting 2015), for which a personal contribution was paid.
AWBZ-funded residential care includes all care received in kind in an institution, for which costs are borne by the AWBZ.
Short stay in an institution is also included.
Wlz care includes care for people who permanently require 24-hour care nearby and/or permanent supervision, the costs of which are charged under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz).
Persons under 18 years of age do not have to pay a personal contribution.
As of 2011, residential care is classified according to the type of care received, expressed in care severity packages (zzp's).
There are zzps for Nursing and Care (VV), Disability Care (GHZ) and Long-Term Mental Health Care (GGZ) sectors.- Nursing and care
- Persons with a care package (zzp) Nursing and Care
Care for the elderly and chronically ill on the basis of a care package (zzp) in the Nursing and Care (VV) sector.
- Education and labour market
- Physicians employed in care
- Qualified medically trained physicians and medical specialists registered in the BIG register (the Dutch central register of specific health care professions), who are employed in the Dutch care sector; resident in the Netherlands or abroad.
Dutch care sector
Organisations with a code in the Statistics Netherlands' Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (SBI) starting with 85 (SBI 1993) or 86, 87 or 88 (SBI 2008).
- Nurses employed in care
- Qualified nurses registered in the BIG register (the Dutch central register of specific health care professions), who are employed in the Dutch care sector; resident in the Netherlands or abroad.
Dutch care sector
Organisations with a code in the Statistics Netherlands' Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities (SBI) starting with 85 (SBI 1993) or 86, 87 or 88 (SBI 2008).
- Employed in health and welfare
- Persons employed in a Netherlands-based company or a private household in the Netherlands, with main activities in health care and welfare.
This sector includes:
- treatment in general and specialised hospitals;
- mental health and addiction care, possibly in combination with overnight admission;
- treatment at medical and paramedical practices;
- support activities for health care, e.g. laboratories and ambulance services;
- nursing care or assistance with housing by, e.g. nursing homes or organisations for assisted living schemes;
- welfare care, such as home care, local welfare and assistance to disabled and elderly persons;
- childcare.
- Employed in health care
- Persons employed in a Netherlands-based company or a private household in the Netherlands, with main activities in health care.
This sector includes:
- treatment in general and specialised hospitals;
- mental health and addiction care, possibly in combination with overnight admission;
- treatment at medical and paramedical practices;
- support activities for health care, e.g. laboratories and ambulance services;
- Mbo caring graduates
- Graduates of senior secondary vocational education (mbo) with a qualification to become a carer (verzorgde individuele gezondheidszorg)
- Mbo nursing graduates
- Graduates of senior secondary vocational education (mbo) with a qualification to become a nurse
- Hbo nursing graduates
- Graduates form higher professional education (hbo) with a bachelor's degree in nursing.
- Medicine graduates (university)
- Persons with a university masters degree in medicine.
- Health and social care expenditure
- Expenditure on medical care, long-term care, welfare and social services, youth care and child care. Care includes provision of services and goods. Expenditure includes care provided to non-residents by Dutch care providers. As it concerns final use expenditure, industry and wholesale figures do not count, as these sectors do not supply their products directly to consumers/patients. Also, expenditure on cross-supplies between care providers does not count. Care expenditure expressed in actual prices indicates expenditure in prices of the year under review and reflects value trends. It refers to expenditure on care goods and services by all institutions, practices and organisations providing those goods and services; providers for whom it is not their main work also count.
These figures refer to a broader definition than internationally used in the System of Health Accounts, that refers to health care including long term nursing care (health).
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.- Expenditure by type of provider
- Providers of preventive, long-term and emergency medical care and research related to maintain and restore personal health. Also includes supply of medication, medical aids and auxiliary services.
This category includes providers outside the 'Human health and social work' section in the SIC, e.g. pharmacies and opticians, and providers for whom provision of care services is not the main activity, e.g. taxi companies and companies with in-house health and safety services.
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.- Total health and social care providers
- Total expenditure on all providers of health and social care.
Providers of preventive, long-term and emergency medical care and research related to maintain and restore personal health. Also includes supply of medication, medical aids and auxiliary services.
This category includes providers outside the 'Human health and social work' section in the SIC, e.g. pharmacies and opticians, and providers for whom provision of care services is not the main activity, e.g. taxi companies and companies with in-house health and safety services.
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.
- Hospitals and medical specialists
- Institutions and practices in which during day and/or night all kinds of medical specialistic curative care is offered, excluding psychiatric institutions and practices.
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.
- Other health care and welfare providers
- Other health care and welfare providers.
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.
- Per capita health and social care expd.
- Total health and social care expenditure calculated per capita.
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.
- Expenditure as percentage of the GDP
- Total expenditure on health and social care expressed as a percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Due to the revision of the 2021 Health and social care expenditure statistics, figures for 2021-2023 are not easily comparable with previous years.
- Care supply
- Quantitative data on care providers: distance to care provider, institutions with small profitability, share of overhead in institutions.
- Care institutions with profitability <0%
- Percentage of companies in a certain SBI class (SBI = Dutch Standard Industrial Classification) whose profitability is less than 0%.
Profitability
Profitability is the sum of the operating result, financial result and extraordinary items, divided by total earnings. It is an indicator of how profitable the company is.
SBI 2008: Statistics Netherlands' Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities 2008.
The SBI is a systematic hierarchical classification of economic activities. The most recent version is SBI 2008. It is used by Statistics Netherlands among other things to classify business entities according to their main activity.
The SBI 2008 has six levels. The SBI codes to the level of classes (4 digits), with a number of exceptions, the same as determined by Eurostat NACE REV. 1 (Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté Européenne) which is used in all EU Member States. The sub-class, denoted by 5 digits, is a further detailed breakdown by the Netherlands.- Nursing homes and home care
- Institutions providing care for the elderly and home care, consisting of SBI classes 8710, 87302 and 88101.
SBI class 8710 includes:
- Intensive care, nursing care and treatment in a protected environment (full-time residence) of patients who require continuous assistance because of chronic physical and mental problems and reduced ability to cope with activities of daily living
- Housing facilities for terminally ill patients with private nurses, also referred to as high-care hospices.
SBI class 87302 includes:
- Care and counselling in a protected environment (full-time residence) of older people with physical and mental problems and reduced self-sufficiency;
- Residential care centres: independent housing facilities for the elderly which focus on sheltered housing with care and service arrangements that are contractually separated;
- Housing facilities for terminally ill patients without their own nursing staff, also called ‘almost-home houses’.
SBI class 88101 includes:
- Nursing, personal and home care at home for chronically ill, elderly and disabled persons and people who temporarily require this kind of care.
- Assistance during childbirth, home and personal care for mother and child and provision of information about child care during the postpartum period.
Up to and including 2014, only health care institutions were included which were funded under the Health Insurance (Zvw) or General Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ).
- Operating result per fte
- Total operating result divided by total number of full-time equivalents (fte) of employees.
The full-time equivalents is a measure of labour volume, calculated by converting all full-time and part-time jobs to full-time jobs.
An employee is a person carrying out work in return for remuneration.- Nursing homes and home care
- Institutions providing care for the elderly and home care, consisting of SBI classes 8710, 87302 and 88101.
SBI class 8710 includes:
- Intensive care, nursing care and treatment in a protected environment (full-time residence) of patients who require continuous assistance because of chronic physical and mental problems and reduced ability to cope with activities of daily living
- Housing facilities for terminally ill patients with private nurses, also referred to as high-care hospices.
SBI class 87302 includes:
- Care and counselling in a protected environment (full-time residence) of older people with physical and mental problems and reduced self-sufficiency;
- Residential care centres: independent housing facilities for the elderly which focus on sheltered housing with care and service arrangements that are contractually separated;
- Housing facilities for terminally ill patients without their own nursing staff, also called ‘almost-home houses’.
SBI class 88101 includes:
- Nursing, personal and home care at home for chronically ill, elderly and disabled persons and people who temporarily require this kind of care.
- Assistance during childbirth, home and personal care for mother and child and provision of information about child care during the postpartum period.
Up to and including 2014, only health care institutions were included which were funded under the Health Insurance (Zvw) or General Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ).