Belgian Health Stats
Author: chris.lockyer781
The land of chocolate, beer, waffles and French fries (which we all know were originally Belgian), and other culinary delicacies, Belgium surprises the casual observer by having a population that is both slim and among the healthiest in Europe: Belgium is in the bottom five when ranked both by cardiovascular mortality and diabetes prevalence. Belgian excellent health care system is definitely to thank for - not only are Belgian physicians among the best in the world when assessed for their competency and accuracy; healthcare spending, quality of organization and 3.9 physicians per 1.000 people (a number surpassed only by Italy and Lithuania in European Union) also ensure short waiting times for everyone, including those without insurance and/or ability to pay. A phenomenon becoming more and more apparent is also medical tourism: since all citizens of European Union can seek health care in any member country, Belgian quality health care is often the deciding factor for patients from abroad. It would seem that Belgium isn’t only a conglomerate of different cultures and languages - Dutch-speaking Flemish, French-speaking Wallonese and a German minority, which are all in addition heavily influenced by United Kingdom just across the Channel - it is also a blend of healthcare systems, cherry-picking the best qualities from her neighboring countries. Maybe Belgian excellent organizational and diplomatic skills are to thank for - the seat of European Union is not located in Brussels for nothing - or maybe we’ve all been fooled and longevity can be achieved by eating chocolate.
Definitions
- Birth rate > Crude > Per 1,000 people: Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the population growth rate in the absence of migration.
- Births and maternity > Average age of mother at childbirth: Average age of mother at first childbirth.
- Births and maternity > Future births: Mid-range estimate for country's population increase due to births from five years prior to the given year. For example, from 2095 to 2100, India's population is expected to rise by 16,181 people due to births. Estimates are from the UN Population Division.
- Births and maternity > Total fertility rate: Total fertility rate.
- Hospital beds > Per 1,000 people: Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases beds for both acute and chronic care are included.
- Human height > Average female height: Average female height.
- Human height > Average male height: Average male height.
- Life expectancy at birth > Total population: The average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
- Life expectancy at birth, female > Years: Life expectancy at birth, female (years). Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
- Life expectancy at birth, total > Years: Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
- Obesity: Percentage of total population who have a BMI (body mass index) greater than 30 Kg/sq.meters (Data for Australia, Austria and Portugal is from 2002. All other data is from 2003). Obesity rates are defined as the percentage of the population with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30. The BMI is a single number that evaluates an individual's weight status in relation to height (weight/height2, with weight in kilograms and height in metres). For Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, figures are based on health examinations, rather than self-reported information. Obesity estimates derived from health examinations are generally higher and more reliable than those coming from self-reports, because they preclude any misreporting of people's height and weight. However, health examinations are only conducted regularly in a few countries (OECD).
- Physicians > Per 1,000 people: Physicians are defined as graduates of any facility or school of medicine who are working in the country in any medical field (practice, teaching, research).
- Probability of not reaching 60: Probability at birth of not reaching the age of 40.
- Quality of health care system > Cost: Cost to you. Based on 0-50 contributions for Albania, Argentina, Austria and 69 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Germany and 7 more countries and over 100 contributions for Canada, India, United Kingdom and 1 more country. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from October, 2010 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "Cost to you". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
- Quality of health care system > Health care system index: Health Care Index is an estimation of the overall quality of the health care system, health care professionals, equipment, staff, doctors, cost, etc.
SOURCES: World Development Indicators database; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; Wikipedia: Human height (Average height around the world); CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; OECD Health Data 2005; calculated on the basis of survival data from UN (United Nations). 2001. World Population Prospects 1950-2050: The 2000 Revision. Database. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. New York; health care
Citation
Belgium Health Profiles (Subcategories)
5
The land of chocolate, beer, waffles and French fries (which we all know were originally Belgian), and other culinary delicacies, Belgium surprises the casual observer by having a population that is both slim and among the healthiest in Europe: Belgium is in the bottom five when ranked both by cardiovascular mortality and diabetes prevalence. Belgian excellent health care system is definitely to thank for - not only are Belgian physicians among the best in the world when assessed for their competency and accuracy; healthcare spending, quality of organization and 3.9 physicians per 1.000 people (a number surpassed only by Italy and Lithuania in European Union) also ensure short waiting times for everyone, including those without insurance and/or ability to pay. A phenomenon becoming more and more apparent is also medical tourism: since all citizens of European Union can seek health care in any member country, Belgian quality health care is often the deciding factor for patients from abroad. It would seem that Belgium isn’t only a conglomerate of different cultures and languages - Dutch-speaking Flemish, French-speaking Wallonese and a German minority, which are all in addition heavily influenced by United Kingdom just across the Channel - it is also a blend of healthcare systems, cherry-picking the best qualities from her neighboring countries. Maybe Belgian excellent organizational and diplomatic skills are to thank for - the seat of European Union is not located in Brussels for nothing - or maybe we’ve all been fooled and longevity can be achieved by eating chocolate.
Posted on 14 Apr 2014
chris.lockyer781
396 Stat enthusiast
