Health and health care; personal characteristics
Explanation of symbols
Dataset is not available.
This table contains data on the perceived state of health and on contacts with providers of medical care of the Dutch population from 0 years on in private households. These data can be grouped by several personal characteristics. For several topics a different age demarcation applies. The age boundaries are listed at the relevant topics.
Data available from: 2014
Status of the data: final.
Changes by March 12, 2024:
The year 2023 have been added.
When will new data be published?
Data on reporting year 2024 will be published in the second quarter of 2025.
Description topics
- Functional limitations
- Functional limitations (physical) are observed by means of 3 groups of questions:
a. The OECD indicator for persons in the age category of 12 years or older.
b. The ADL (Activities of Daily Living) indicator for persons in the age category of 55 years or older.
c. Temporary activity limitations and bed-days for persons of all ages.
Besides, a general question about the functional limitations (GALI-indicator) is asked.- Limitations OECD, 12 years or older
- The OECD indicator (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) in this table is based on 7 questions on abilities that people normally can perform, if necessary with glasses or a hearing aid. It does not deal with temporary problems.
1. Can you follow a conversation in a group of three or more persons? (with hearing aid, if needed)
2. Can you have a conversation with one other person? (with hearing aid, if needed)
3. Can you read the small print in the newspaper? (with glasses or contact lenses, if needed)
4. Can you recognise somebody's face at a distance of 4 metres? (with glasses or contact lenses, if needed)
5. Can you carry an object of 5 kilogrammes, for instance a shopping bag, over a distance of 10 metres?
6. Can you bend down from an upright position and pick up something from the floor?
7. Can you walk 400 metres without stopping? (with stick, if needed)
Answer categories to these questions are: 'without difficulty', 'with some difficulty', 'with a lot of difficulty', 'impossible'. The indicator scores 'yes' if the answer to at least 1 of the 7 questions is: 'with a lot of difficulty' or 'impossible'. The respondents are persons in the age category 12 years or older.- Persons with at least 1 limitation
- Percentage of persons with at least 1 OECD limitation. A respondent has a limitation if he or she answers ꞌwith a lot of difficultyꞌ or ꞌimpossibleꞌ to at least 1 of the 7 OECD questions.
- Persons with hearing limitation
- Percentage of persons of 12 years or older who answered ꞌyes, with a lot of difficultyꞌ or ꞌno, impossibleꞌ to at least 1 of the 2 questions on hearing (according to the OECD indicator).
- Persons with visual limitation
- Percentage of persons of 12 years or older who answered ꞌyes, with a lot of difficultyꞌ or ꞌno, impossibleꞌ to at least 1 of the 2 questions on eyesight (according to the OECD indicator).
- Persons with mobility limitation
- Percentage of persons of 12 years or older who answered ꞌyes, with a lot of difficultyꞌ or ꞌno, impossibleꞌ to at least 1 of the 3 questions on mobility limitation (according to the OECD indicator).
- Limitations ADL, 55 years or older
- The ADL indicator (Activities of Daily Living) is based upon questions on the following 11 activities:
1. Sitting down in and rising from a chair
2. Getting into and out of bed
3. Walk up and down stairs
4. Eating and drinking
5. Dressing and undressing
6. Washing face and hands
7. Washing whole body
8. Utilizing toilet
9. Moving to another room on the same floor
10. Leaving and entering the house
11. Moving outdoors
The 4 possible answers to these questions are: 'without difficulty', 'with some difficulty', 'with a lot of difficulty’, 'only with the help of others'. The first 3 questions have a fifth answer: 'not even with the help of others'. The indicator scores 'yes' if at least one of the answers to the above 10 questions is: 'with a lot of difficulty' or 'only with the help of others'. The questions were put to persons aged 55 years or older.- Persons with at least 1 limitation
- Percentage of persons of 55 years or older with at least 1 ADL limitation. A respondent is considered to have a limitation if he or she answers at least one of the 11 questions with 'impossible', 'with great difficulty' or 'not even with the help of others.
- Limitations IADL, 55 years or older
- IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) inquires after domestic activities that may cause executional problems as a consequence of health problems. The IADL indicator is based upon questions on the following 7 performances:
1. Preparing meals
2. Telephoning
3. Shopping
4. Taking the right medicines in time
5. Light domestic work
6. Heavy domestic work
7. Keeping money matters and daily financial records
The 5 answer categories to these questions are: 'without difficulty'; 'with some difficulty'; 'with a lot of difficulty’; 'unable to do so'; 'not applicable / I never did or had to do this'. These questions are posed to persons of 55 years or older.- Persons with at least 1 limitation
- Percentage of persons of 55 years or older with at least 1 IADL limitation. A respondent is considered to have a limitation if he or she answers at least one of the 7 questions with 'impossible' or 'with great difficulty.
- Medication, last 14 days
- These questions deal with the use of medicine and the use of herbal medicines or vitamins, whether or not prescribed by a physician. The questions are posed to respondents of all ages.
- Persons with prescribed medicines
- Percentage of persons who in 14 days preceding the inquiry date used medicines prescribed by a physician. The contraceptive pill is not taken into consideration here.
- Persons with non-prescribed medicines
- Percentage of persons who in 14 days preceding the interview used (herbal) medicines or vitamins that were not prescribed by a physician.
- Medical contacts
- Persons are asked if they had contact with their GP, specialist, dentist, dental hygienist, orthodontist, physiotherapist, exercise therapist, psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist, and if he or she is treated by alternative healer. Also, if there were hospital admissions or day care admissions. For children up to 12 years old, these questions are answered by the parent/guardian. Most questions after medical contacts are asked to persons of all ages. Contacts that do not often occur in the case of children are posed from an older age.
- Contact with GP
- From 2021, the introductory text for the question about GP contacts has been changed to: Now something about contacts with the GP. This includes visits to the GP practice, home visits, telephone consultations, video calling, contacts via email or other e-consultations. Contacts with a replacement GP or with the GP post must also be included. Contacts with the practice assistant and the practice nurse should not be included.
Until 2021, the introductory text was 'Contacts with the GP include visits to the GP practice, home visits and telephone consultations. Contacts with a replacement GP or with the GP post also count. Contacts with the practice assistant and the practice nurse do not count.'
Contacts in the 12 months prior to the survey date are asked in the questionnaire. The questions are asked to respondents of all ages.- Persons with at least 1 contact
- Percentage of persons in the population who contacted a GP at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Contact with medical specialist
- From 2021 onwards, the introductory text for the question for a specialist has been changed to: 'Now something about contacts with specialists. This includes contacts with specialists at the outpatient clinic, in a hospital department, in the emergency department, in a practice outside the hospital or in a private clinic. Also consider telephone consultations, video calls, contacts via email or other e-consultations. Contacts with specialists during a hospital or day admission should not be included here.)'
Until 2021, the text was: 'Contacts with the specialist can take place at the outpatient clinic, in a hospital department, in the emergency room, in a practice outside the hospital or in a private clinic. Contacts with specialists during a hospital or day admission do not count.'- Persons with at least 1 contact
- Percentage of persons in the population who contacted a GP at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Contact with dentist
- Visits at the dentist’s. Contacts with the dental hygienist, orthodontist and dental surgeon are not taken into account. The questions are posed to everyone of 1 year or older. It is assumed that children of 0 years of age do not go to the dentist.
- Persons with at least 1 contact
- Percentage of persons in the population who contacted a dentist at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Contact physio- and exercise therapist
- Figures on physiotherapy and exercise therapy. Physiotherapy and exercise therapy during hospital and day care admission are not taken into account.
- Persons with at least 1 contact
- Percentage of persons in the population who contacted a physio- and exercise therapist at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Contact with psychologist, 4 plus
- Figures on contacts with psychologist, psychiatrist or psychotherapist. These questions are posed to persons of 4 years or older. For children younger than 12 years of age the questions are answered by the parent / caretaker.
- Persons with at least 1 contact
- Percentage of persons in the population who contacted a psychologist, psychiatrist or psychotherapist at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Persons treated by alternative healer
- Percentage of persons in the population that claims to have been treated by an alternative healer at least once in the 12 months preceding the interview.
- Persons receiving home care
- Percentage of persons who receive paid help or care at home because of health problems in the 12 months preceding the interview. E.g. help in housekeeping, personal care, nursing, maternity care, or meal service (such as meals-on-wheels). By paid help is meant help paid by someone him/herself or an authority.