People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and income quintile by country
Countries reporting
45
Highest
29.7%
Norway
Lowest
0.7%
Romania
Median
11.1%
Years covered
18
2008–2025
Data points
762
What the numbers show
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and income quintile is currently reported for 45 countries. The highest value is 29.7% in Norway; the lowest is 0.7% in Romania.
The median across all reporting countries is 11.1%, and the mean is 12.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 42.
Over the past decade 29 countries rose and 14 fell. The largest increase was in Cyprus (up 140.0%), and the largest decrease in Romania (down 70.8%).
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 29.7% | 2025 | up 21.2% | flat |
| 2 | Finland | 27.8% | 2025 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 3 | Sweden | 20.4% | 2025 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 19.4% | 2018 | up 71.7% | rising |
| 4 | Iceland | 19.4% | 2020 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 4 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 19.4% | 2018 | up 71.7% | rising |
| 7 | Netherlands | 19.2% | 2025 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 7 | Netherlands | 19.2% | 2025 | up 2.1% | falling |
| 9 | Ireland | 19.1% | 2025 | up 57.9% | rising |
| 10 | Switzerland | 18.8% | 2024 | down 14.5% | rising |
| 11 | Estonia | 17.8% | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 11 | Estonia | 17.8% | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 13 | Portugal | 15.9% | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 14 | Cyprus | 15.6% | 2025 | up 140.0% | rising |
| 15 | France | 15.4% | 2025 | up 33.9% | rising |
| 16 | Spain | 13.8% | 2025 | up 46.8% | rising |
| 17 | Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) | 13.6% | 2019 | up 29.5% | rising |
| 17 | Denmark | 13.6% | 2022 | up 4.6% | falling |
| 19 | Slovakia | 12.8% | 2025 | up 24.3% | falling |
| 19 | Slovakia | 12.8% | 2025 | up 24.3% | falling |
| 21 | Latvia | 11.1% | 2025 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 21 | Latvia | 11.1% | 2025 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 21 | Germany | 11.1% | 2025 | down 33.9% | rising |
| 24 | European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) | 11.0% | 2016 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 25 | Austria | 10.9% | 2025 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 26 | Türkiye | 10.8% | 2025 | up 14.9% | rising |
| 27 | Slovenia | 10.2% | 2025 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 27 | Slovenia | 10.2% | 2025 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 29 | Poland | 9.1% | 2025 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 29 | Poland | 9.1% | 2025 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 31 | Luxembourg | 8.4% | 2025 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 32 | Hungary | 8.1% | 2025 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 33 | Czechia | 7.2% | 2025 | down 20.0% | rising |
| 34 | Lithuania | 7.0% | 2023 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 34 | Lithuania | 7.0% | 2023 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 36 | Malta | 6.9% | 2025 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 37 | Belgium | 6.6% | 2025 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 38 | Serbia | 5.0% | 2021 | up 22.0% | rising |
| 39 | Croatia | 3.9% | 2025 | down 50.6% | falling |
| 39 | Croatia | 3.9% | 2025 | down 50.6% | falling |
| 41 | Italy | 2.9% | 2025 | down 39.6% | falling |
| 42 | Bulgaria | 2.7% | 2024 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 43 | Greece | 2.3% | 2023 | up 91.7% | rising |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 1.3% | 2016 | unchanged | rising |
| 45 | Romania | 0.7% | 2016 | down 70.8% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.