Health and children's health, Slovenia, 2017

To what extent are the costs of medical and dental care a financial burden for Slovenian households?

In the period of one year before the survey was conducted in 2017 85% of households used medical care (examination or treatment, rehabilitation, preventive medical examinations, etc.) carried out by general practitioners and/or specialists. For 13% of these households the costs of these services were a burden (for 5% a heavy burden, for 8% somewhat a burden). For 87% of households the costs of medical examinations or treatment were not a burden at all or healthcare services were provided for free. The greater financial burden for households was the costs of medicines (a heavy burden for 13% of all households) and the costs of dental examinations and treatments (a heavy burden for 18% of these households that used dental care). 

Children’s health in general

For almost two thirds of children (64%) up to 16 years of age parents or guardians in 2017 assessed that their general health was very good. There were no significant differences between boys and girls (boys: 63%, girls: 65%). A slightly lower percentage of children of very good health was assessed for the age group of 11 to 15 years (boys: 60%, girls: 57%).

For children living in households that were at risk of poverty or social exclusion the general health was according to parents or guardians assessed a bit worse; for 60% of children from such households general health was assessed as very good, for 31% as good, for 7% as fair and for 1% as very bad.

A large majority of children aged 2 to 15 years were not limited at all in activities because of health problems in 2017. Parents or guardians indicated that 1% of children were severely limited in everyday activities (which means that they were limited in activities for at least the past 6 months). For 2% of children it was assessed that they were limited but not severely

How frequently do we visit a dentist, a general practitioner and a medical specialist?

In the period of one year before the survey was conducted in 2017, 23% of persons aged 16 years or over visited dentists three or more times. 40% of persons visited or consulted by telephone or e-mail a general practitioner or a family doctor three or more times and a fifth of persons visited or consulted by telephone or e-mail a medical or surgical specialist three or more times. Women visited doctors and dentists more often than men.

The frequency of visiting the doctors is also largely related to the self-assessment of people’s general health. 43% of people who assessed their general health as very good never visited a general practitioner or a family doctor, and only 7% among those with very bad general health. 45% of those who assessed their health as very bad visited or consulted a general practitioner or a family doctor ten times or more.

66% of people with very good health assessment did not consult a medical or surgical specialist in the period of one year before the survey was conducted in 2017, and 15% among those with very bad general health. In the observed period, six out of 10 people who considered their health as very bad visited/consulted a medical or surgical specialist three or more times.

A medical or surgical specialist was consulted the least by people living in the Goriška statistical region, as more than half of the people (53%) from this region never consulted a medial or surgical specialist in the period one year before the survey was conducted in 2017. The share of people who consulted a medical or surgical specialist three times or more was the highest among people living in the Zasavska statistical region (25%).

Are we pill-poppers?

During the two weeks before the survey was conducted in 2017, 43% of people aged 16 or over were taking medicines prescribed by a doctor (contraceptives not included). Prescribed medicines were used by more women (47%) than men (40%). As expected, prescription pharmaceuticals were used more by the elderly (persons aged 65+): 84%.

Are we underfed, overfed or normally fed?

Depending on the weight and height of an individual, the body mass index is determined, indicating whether the person is underfed, normally fed, overfed or obese. In 2017, 3% of people aged 16 years or over were underfed, 45% were fed normally, 36% were overfed and 16% were obese. Among women, 4% were underfed. The share for men was 1%. A greater difference was observed among young people (16–24 years); 16% of young women and 5% of young men were underfed. On the other hand, more men than women were overweight: overfed (M: 42%; F: 30%) and obese (M: 19%; F: 13%). 30% of young men (16-24 years) and 15% of young women were overweight.

Obesity is also affected by general health and healthy lifestyle. Among people who considered their general health as very good, 6% were obese. Among those who assessed that their general health was very bad, 29% of people were obese. Among those who did not do any sport or recreational (leisure) physical activity during the typical week, 22% were obese, while among those who were sufficiently engaged in sport or recreational physical activity (which is according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization 150 minutes per week) 14% were obese.

Looking from a different angle, in a typical week sufficient sport or recreational physical activity was performed by 52% of obese people, by 65% of normally fed and by 67% of underfed. Among all persons aged 16 or over, 61% of people were involved in sport and recreational physical activity at least 150 minutes per week, 24% of people less than 150 minutes per week, and 16% of them did not do any sport or recreational activities.

How often are fruit and vegetables on our menu?

In a typical week in 2017, 69% of people aged 16+ were eating fruit at least once a day and 71% were eating vegetables at least once a day. Young people (16–24 years) were eating fruit and vegetables less frequently than the elderly (aged 65+). 80% of the elderly were eating fruit at least once every day, and 75% of the elderly were eating vegetables at least once every day. Young people were eating fruit (64%) and vegetables (65%) on a daily basis in about the same proportion.

As regards statistical regions, the share of persons eating fruit at least once a day was the highest (75%) among the people (aged 16 or more years) living in the Obalno-kraška statistical region; for eating vegetables at least once a day the share was the highest (75%) in the Goriška statistical  region. The shares of people who were eating fruit and vegetables every day (once or several times a day) were the lowest in the Posavska statistical region (52% fruit and 51% vegetables). 

What about drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking cigarettes?

In 2017, 17% of people aged 16 or over were regular, daily tobacco smokers (20% of men and 14% of women) and 5% were occasional smokers. Of the regular smokers, 98% smoked cigarettes every day. 65% of regular smokers smoked on average up to 20 cigarettes each day, and 35% more than 20 cigarettes each day.

Alcoholic beverages of any kind were consumed daily or almost daily during the period of one year before the survey was conducted in 2017 by 6% of people aged 16 or more. Every week (but not every day) alcoholic beverages were consumed by 23% of people, every month (but not every week) by 28% of people, less than once a month by 21% of people, and never by 23% of people. Men were more frequent drinkers of alcoholic beverages than women. 

Interestingly: 18% of people did not drink any alcoholic beverages and did not smoke; 4% of people smoked every day, but did not drink any alcoholic beverages. 4% of people smoked every day and had an alcoholic drink every week and 17% of people did not smoke, but had an alcoholic beverage every week.

More detailed information about the health of the population of Slovenia can be found in the attached excel file.