In short
What are the main causes of death in Belgium? What is the life expectancy for men and women? Are overweight and obesity on the rise? What are the most common diseases for people my age? Are there significant health inequalities in Belgium?
The Health Status Report answers these important questions and many more, offering an up-to-date overview of the state of health of Belgium’s population. It provides key insights on health information summarized in clear messages and engaging visuals, all of which can be explored via the www.healthybelgium.be website. Through this website, we aim to support policymakers, health professionals, and citizens by providing reliable, data-driven information that helps shape effective health policies and make informed health choices.
Project description
The Health Status report provides a comprehensive overview of the health status of the population in Belgium. The report integrates health information from multiple data sources, including our data collections, making it an essential tool for public health professionals, policymakers and citizens interested in public health. Understanding the health of people in Belgium is crucial for improving population health and supporting public health strategies.
The report focuses on specific aspects of health and health determinants building on information from various institutions and research projects across Belgium. To effectively support evidence-based policymaking, it is important to combine all relevant information into an integrated and holistic view of the Belgian health status. The report is continuously updated with the most recent health information available to us.
The aim is not to make an exhaustive inventory of all available information but rather to integrate, highlight, and interpret information that is useful for defining and evaluating health objectives.
The report highlights significant messages with trends, rankings and benchmarking. The scope includes information on:
- life expectancy and quality of life: current trends in how long people live and their well-being during those years
- mortality and causes of death: data on the leading causes of (premature) death in Belgium
- communicable and non-communicable diseases: insights into diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and infectious diseases
- burden of disease: measuring the impact of diseases and risk factors on health in a comprehensive and comparable way
- mental health: understanding the state of mental health in the country, including the prevalence of conditions such as depression and anxiety
- determinants of health: exploring factors such as substance use (tobacco, alcohol), weight status, nutritional habits, physical activity, and environmental factors
- health inequalities: analysing differences in health outcomes by educational level
- cost of illness: how different diseases and conditions economically impact our society
- information on specific population groups: focus on health issues affecting particular groups such as children and women
- factsheets about specific topics : Covid-19, trends in smoking, etc.
The website healthybelgium.be serves as a centralised and collaborative platform that draws on the expertise of several institutions, including with:
- the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE), which produces the Health System Performance Assessment report and the description of the Belgian healthcare system
- the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) responsible for the report on variations in medical practices
- the FPS Public Health, which reports key healthcare data.
Overall, this platform aims to serve and be used as a valuable resource for making complex health information accessible and understandable to the general public.
Explore the interactive charts and key trends on our website and discover how the health of Belgium is evolving over time
In the media
Press release | 22/02/2019 | New! Belgian Health Status Report available online
Press release | 15/02/2022 | What is the health status of the Belgian population?
