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:
2024:
The available figures are definite.
2023:
Most available figures are definite
Figures are provisional for:
- perinatal mortality at pregnancy duration at least 24 weeks;
- diagnoses known to the general practitioner;
- supplied drugs;
- AWBZ/Wlz-funded long term 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.
2022:
Most available figures are definite, figures are provisional for:
- hospital admissions by some diagnoses;
- physicians and nurses employed in care;
- persons employed in health and welfare;
- persons employed in healthcare;
- expenditures on health and welfare;
- profitability and operating results at institutions.
2021:
Most available figures are definite, figures are provisional for:
- expenditures on health and welfare.
2020 and earlier:
All available figures are definite.
Changes as of 18 december 2024:
- Distance to facilities: the figures withdrawn on 5 June have been replaced (unchanged).
- Youth care: the previously published final results for 2021 and 2022 have been adjusted due to improvements in the processing.
- Due to a revision of the statistics Expenditure on health and welfare 2021, figures for expenditure on health and welfare care have been replaced from 2021 onwards.
- Due to the revision of the National Accounts, the figures on persons employed in health and welfare have been replaced for all years.
- AWBZ/Wlz-funded long term care: from 2015, the series Wlz residential care including total package at home has been replaced by total Wlz care. This series fits better with the chosen demarcation of indications for Wlz care.
More recent figures have been added for:
- crude birth rate;
- live births to teenage mothers;
- causes of death;
- perinatal mortality at pregnancy duration at least 24 weeks;
- life expectancy in perceived good health;
- 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;
- expenditures on health and welfare;
- average distance to facilities.
When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in July 2025.
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.
- Life expectancy in perceived good health
- The number of years a person can expect to live in perceived good health, assuming the mortality risk and risks for good/poor health remain the same.
People are considered healthy when answering 'good' or 'very good' to the CBS Health Survey question 'How is your health in general?' .- At birth, men
- At birth, women
- At age 65, men
- At age 65, women
- 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'.
- 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.
- Average period of hospitalisation
- Number of nursing days in a given period divided by the number of patients admitted.
- Contacts with health professionals
- Number of contacts with general practitioners and physiotherapists/exercise therapist in the 12 months preceding the survey date.
Due to changes in methodology and questionnaire, data before and after 2010 cannot fully be compared.- General practitioner (GP)
- Contacts with a GP in the Netherlands:
- visits to a GP,
- GP home visits,
- telephone consultations,
- other contacts
Includes contacts with locums and emergency GP service; excludes contacts with GP surgery assistant/nurse.
Due to changes in methodology of the health interview questionniare in 2014, figures before and after are not completely comparable
- Physiotherapist or exercise therapist
- Contact with a therapist for physical or exercise therapy. Physiotherapy or exercise therapy during hospital admission is not included.
Until 2010, the figures are restricted to physiotherapy.
- 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.- Mental health care
- Persons with a care package (zzp) Mental health care
Long-term residence in a mental health institution
Care for persons with mental and/or psychiatric problems on the basis of a care severity package (zzp) in the Mental Health Care sector (GGZ), insofar as this is financed from the AWBZ/Wlz (also called long-term GGZ).
- Determinants of health
- Determinants of health: factors influencing health.
Data on smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, obesity and high blood pressure, derived from the CBS Health Survey.- Heavy drinkers (12 years or older)
- Percentage of persons in the population aged 12 years or older who are heavy drinkers. Up to 2012 the definition of a heavy drinker was a person that drinks at least 6 glasses of alcohol on one day at least once a week. From 2012 onwards there is a distinction between men and women. For men still goes that a heavy drinker is a person who drinks at least 6 glasses of alcohol on one day at least once a week. For women goes that a heavy drinker is a person who drinks at least 4 glasses of alcohol on one day at least once a week. Due to this change in definition the figures of before 2012 and from 2012 onwards cannot be compared very well.
- Comply physical activity guidelines (4+)
- Percentage of people of 4 years or older who comply with the physical activity guidelines.
Adults should be physically active at moderate intensity for at least two and a half hours every week, spread over several days, such as walking and cycling. In addition, they should perform muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least twice a week.
Young people from 4 to 17 years old should be physically active at moderate intensity for at least one hour every day, and they should perform muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least three times a week.
The physical activity guidelines were drawn up by the Dutch Health Council at the end of 2017.
- High blood pressure (12 years or older)
- Percentage of persons aged 12 years and older who answered 'yes' to the question:
'Have you suffered from hypertension in the last 12 months?'.
Until 2010, the percentage refers to the total population, under the assumption that younger people do not have high blood pressure.
- Education and labour market
- 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;
- 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.
- Providers of mental health care
- Providers of mental health care
Psychiatric hospitals, mental health care institutions, psychiatrists and independent psychiatrists, psychologists and outpatient mental health care.
These institutions offer treatment and guidance to people with psychiatric disorders and psychological problems.
Protected/sheltered/supported living.
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.- 86104 Mental health hospitals
- Mental health and substance abuse hospitals
SBI class 86104 includes:
- Specialist medical centres for treatment and care with the possibility of full-time residential care, specifically focused on psychological syndromes, e.g. general psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric clinics for children and adolescents;
- Clinics for treatment and care of drug addicts with the possibility of full-time residential care (addiction clinics);
- Treatment of people who have committed or who threaten to commit an offence and for psychiatric disorders, e.g. forensic-psychiatric hospitals, institutions for TBS (i.e. convicted persons placed under a hospital order) with the possibility of full-time residential care;
- Institutions for care and supervision in a protected environment (full-time residential care) of psychiatric patients with psychosocial problems and reduced ability to cope, such as regional institutions for sheltered housing.
Up to and including 2014, also SBI class 86222 was included, containing practices of psychiatrists and day-care centers for social health.
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.- 86104 Mental health hospitals
- Mental health and substance abuse hospitals
SBI class 86104 includes:
- Specialist medical centres for treatment and care with the possibility of full-time residential care, specifically focused on psychological syndromes, e.g. general psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric clinics for children and adolescents;
- Clinics for treatment and care of drug addicts with the possibility of full-time residential care (addiction clinics);
- Treatment of people who have committed or who threaten to commit an offence and for psychiatric disorders, e.g. forensic-psychiatric hospitals, institutions for TBS (i.e. convicted persons placed under a hospital order) with the possibility of full-time residential care;
- Institutions for care and supervision in a protected environment (full-time residential care) of psychiatric patients with psychosocial problems and reduced ability to cope, such as regional institutions for sheltered housing.
Up to and including 2014, also SBI class 86222 was included, containing practices of psychiatrists and day-care centers for social health.
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).