Chronic Disease Prevalence Rises in 25-64 Year Olds
- BRUSSELS (AP) — A recent study reveals a concerning trend in Belgium: an increase in chronic diseases, particularly among younger adults, a surge in depression rates among young...
- Public health researcher Rana Charafeddine at Sciensano noted a notable increase in multimorbidity – the presence of two or more chronic diseases – among adults.
- Data from 2023-2024 indicates that over half of Belgians aged 45 to 54 are already experiencing multimorbidity.
Chronic Diseases, Depression, and Oral Health Concerns Rise in Belgium
Table of Contents
- Chronic Diseases, Depression, and Oral Health Concerns Rise in Belgium
- Belgian Health Crisis: Rising Chronic Diseases and Mental Health Concerns
- What’s Happening with Health in Belgium Right Now?
- What is Multimorbidity, and Why is it on the Rise in Belgium?
- How Prevalent is Multimorbidity Across Different Age Groups?
- What are the Most Common Chronic Conditions in Belgium?
- How Have Allergy and Diabetes rates Changed since 2001?
- how Prevalent are Back Problems, Osteoarthritis, and Hypertension?
- What are the Most Common Combinations of Chronic Conditions?
- Is Depression on the Rise in Belgium?
- How Much Has depression Increased in Young Adults?
- What are the Prevalence rates of Depression and Anxiety in Belgium?
- Are Mental Health Issues Unevenly Distributed Across Belgium?
- How Significant is Physical Pain as a Health Concern?
- What Types of Physical Pain Are Most common?
- Which Age Group Experiences the Most Physical Pain?
- What is the State of Oral health in Belgium?
- Are There Any Improvements in Oral Health Indicators?
- Are Oral Health Problems on the Rise in Belgium?
- How Does Oral Health Perception Vary by Age and Education?
BRUSSELS (AP) — A recent study reveals a concerning trend in Belgium: an increase in chronic diseases, particularly among younger adults, a surge in depression rates among young people, and a growing number of belgians reporting oral health problems.
Multimorbidity on the Rise
Public health researcher Rana Charafeddine at Sciensano noted a notable increase in multimorbidity – the presence of two or more chronic diseases – among adults. “In 2018, 31% of people aged 25 to 44 reported at least two chronic diseases, compared to 33.4% in 2023. A similar trend was observed for 45- to 64-year-olds, with the rate increasing from 53% to 58%,” Charafeddine said.
Data from 2023-2024 indicates that over half of Belgians aged 45 to 54 are already experiencing multimorbidity. Moreover, among those aged 25 to 34, more than 45% of women and nearly 35% of men are affected.
Allergies, Back Pain, and Hypertension Common
The most prevalent chronic conditions include allergies, back pain, osteoarthritis, and hypertension. Since 2001, the percentage of Belgians suffering from allergies (including hay fever, dust mite allergies, and contact allergies) has doubled, climbing from 13.9% to 25.3%. Similarly, the prevalence of diabetes has risen from 3.4% to 6.9% during the same period. Sciensano suggests these figures may underestimate the true extent of these conditions.
while rates of back problems and osteoarthritis have remained relatively stable as 2018, they continue to affect a significant portion of the population, with approximately 25% and 19% of individuals aged 15 and over reporting these conditions, respectively.
Hypertension affects 16% of Belgians aged 15 and older, with the rate climbing to 44% among those aged 75 and older. This condition rounds out the top four most frequent chronic diseases in both men and women.
The most common combinations of chronic conditions are back and neck pain combined with joint disease, and back and neck pain combined with allergies.
Depression Doubles Among Young Adults
While the prevalence of depression has remained stable or slightly decreased among older adults,there has been a significant increase among young people,particularly those aged 15 to 24. Between 2018 and 2023-2024, the rate of depression in this age group doubled, rising from 3.0% to 6.7% across all regions.
Among the population aged 15 and over, 8.1% reported experiencing depression in the past year, while 6.6% reported generalized anxiety. Additionally, 3.1% of individuals in this age group reported suffering from both conditions concurrently.
Generalized anxiety disorder is significantly more prevalent in Wallonia (11.0%) and Brussels (9.2%) compared to flanders (3.8%).A similar trend is observed for depression, with lower prevalence in Flanders (7.0%) than in Brussels (9.5%) and Wallonia (9.7%).
Physical pain a Major Concern
Physical pain is a significant health issue for Belgians aged 15 and over.in 2023-2024,almost one in three people (28%) reported experiencing physical pain,compared to 28% in 2008.
Women are more likely to suffer from physical pain than men, with 38% of women and 25% of men reporting such issues. Back pain is the most frequent type of physical pain for both men (32.2%) and women (26.2%), followed by neck and shoulder pain (12.0% and 15.6%, respectively).
Women aged 55 to 64 report the highest pain scores (38.5) and the highest prevalence of physical pain (46.4%). Those aged 45 to 54 are most often bothered by these pains (43.7%).
Oral Health Problems Affect nearly One in Three
Approximately one in four Belgians perceive their oral health as poor, a proportion that has remained relatively stable since 2018, increasing slightly from 24.0% to 25.8% in 2023-2024.
The number of people who have lost their natural teeth has decreased from 15.9% in 2001 to 9.7% in 2023-2024. the use of removable dental prostheses has also declined, from 28.8% in 2004 to 18.1%. However, the proportion of people reporting oral health problems, such as cavities, periodontal diseases, tooth loss, and mouth cancer, has increased from 13.7% in 2018 to 32.5% in 2023-2024.
Perceptions of oral health vary with age, with 12.1% of 15- to 24-year-olds considering their oral health poor, compared to 33.0% of those aged 75 and over. Oral health perception also varies by education level: 21.4% of senior graduates consider their oral health poor, compared to 36.7% of people without a higher secondary diploma.
Belgian Health Crisis: Rising Chronic Diseases and Mental Health Concerns
What’s Happening with Health in Belgium Right Now?
Recent studies reveal concerning trends in Belgium’s health landscape.The key takeaways include a significant increase in chronic diseases, notably among younger adults, a surge in depression rates within the same age demographic and a growing number of Belgians reporting oral health issues.
What is Multimorbidity, and Why is it on the Rise in Belgium?
Multimorbidity refers to the presence of two or more chronic diseases in a single individual. Experts are seeing a rise in this condition, with public researcher Rana Charafeddine at Sciensano noting a concerning increase. In 2018, 31% of people aged 25 to 44 reported at least two chronic diseases, rising to 33.4% in 2023.Similar trends are observed in other age groups, indicating a growing health challenge for the Belgian population.
How Prevalent is Multimorbidity Across Different Age Groups?
Data from 2023-2024 paint a concerning picture:
- ages 45-54: Over half (more than 50%) are experiencing multimorbidity.
- Ages 25-34: Over 45% of women and nearly 35% of men are affected.
These figures highlight the significant burden of multiple chronic illnesses across a wide age range in Belgium.
What are the Most Common Chronic Conditions in Belgium?
The most widespread chronic diseases in Belgium include:
- allergies
- Back Pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
These conditions significantly impact the health and wellbeing of many Belgians.
How Have Allergy and Diabetes rates Changed since 2001?
Since 2001, the prevalence of both allergies and diabetes has doubled in Belgium.This is a significant increase, indicating a worsening trend.
- Allergies: Increased from 13.9% to 25.3%.
- Diabetes: Increased from 3.4% to 6.9%.
how Prevalent are Back Problems, Osteoarthritis, and Hypertension?
While the article notes that rates back problems and osteoarthritis have remained statistically stable, the numbers are still significant. Hypertension is also common especially in the elderly.
- Back Problems: Approximately 25% of individuals aged 15 and over report back problems.
- Osteoarthritis: Roughly 19% of those aged 15 and over are affected.
- Hypertension: 16% of Belgians aged 15 and older have hypertension, rising to 44% among those aged 75 and older.
What are the Most Common Combinations of Chronic Conditions?
The most prevalent combinations include:
- Back and neck pain combined with joint disease.
- Back and neck pain combined with allergies.
Is Depression on the Rise in Belgium?
Yes, there’s a concerning trend. While it has remained stable in older adults, depression rates have doubled among young people, specifically those aged 15-24, between 2018 and 2023-2024.
How Much Has depression Increased in Young Adults?
Between 2018 and 2023-2024, the rate of depression in the 15-24 age group doubled, rising from 3.0% to 6.7% across all regions of Belgium.
What are the Prevalence rates of Depression and Anxiety in Belgium?
Among the population aged 15 and over:
- 8.1% reported experiencing depression in the past year.
- 6.6% reported generalized anxiety.
- 3.1% reported struggling with both conditions concurrently.
Are Mental Health Issues Unevenly Distributed Across Belgium?
Yes,there are regional differences:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Significantly more prevalent in Wallonia (11.0%) and Brussels (9.2%) compared to Flanders (3.8%).
- Depression: Lower prevalence in Flanders (7.0%) compared to Brussels (9.5%) and Wallonia (9.7%).
How Significant is Physical Pain as a Health Concern?
Physical pain is quite prevalent. In 2023-2024, nearly one in three Belgians (28%) reported experiencing physical pain. Women report physical pain more than men, with 38% of women and 25% of men reporting issues.
What Types of Physical Pain Are Most common?
The most frequent types of physical pain include:
- Back pain (most frequent for both men – 32.2%, and women - 26.2%)
- Neck and shoulder pain (12.0% and 15.6% respectively)
Which Age Group Experiences the Most Physical Pain?
Women aged 55 to 64 report the highest pain scores, with 46.4% reporting physical pain.
What is the State of Oral health in Belgium?
Approximately one in four Belgians perceive their oral health as poor (25.8%), which has remained relatively stable since 2018.
Are There Any Improvements in Oral Health Indicators?
Yes, one. The number of people who have lost their natural teeth has decreased, from 15.9% in 2001 to 9.7% in 2023-2024. Also the use of dentures has declined from 28.8% to 18.1% in 2023-2024.
Are Oral Health Problems on the Rise in Belgium?
Yes, the proportion of people reporting issues such as having cavities, periodontal diseases, tooth loss, and mouth cancer has increased from 13.7% in 2018 to 32.5% in 2023-2024.
How Does Oral Health Perception Vary by Age and Education?
Perceptions vary drastically:
- Age: Poor oral health perception is held by 12.1% of 15- to 24-year-olds, compared to 33.0% of those aged 75 and over.
- Education: 21.4% of senior graduates consider their oral health poor, compared to 36.7% of people without a higher secondary diploma.