People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and educational attainment level by country
Countries reporting
47
Highest
36.1%
Finland
Lowest
2.0%
Montenegro
Median
11.5%
Years covered
18
2008–2025
Data points
854
What the numbers show
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and educational attainment level is currently reported for 47 countries. The highest value is 36.1% in Finland; the lowest is 2.0% in Montenegro.
The median across all reporting countries is 11.5%, and the mean is 13.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 18.
Over the past decade 29 countries rose and 18 fell. The largest increase was in North Macedonia (up 81.8%), and the largest decrease in Serbia (down 83.4%).
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 36.1% | 2025 | up 55.6% | rising |
| 2 | Norway | 31.8% | 2025 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 24.1% | 2018 | up 69.7% | rising |
| 3 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 24.1% | 2018 | up 69.7% | rising |
| 5 | Estonia | 22.9% | 2025 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 5 | Estonia | 22.9% | 2025 | up 18.7% | rising |
| 7 | Sweden | 22.6% | 2025 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 8 | Netherlands | 21.8% | 2025 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 8 | Netherlands | 21.8% | 2025 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 10 | Switzerland | 19.8% | 2024 | down 18.2% | flat |
| 11 | Denmark | 17.9% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 12 | Iceland | 17.8% | 2020 | down 5.8% | rising |
| 13 | Portugal | 17.0% | 2025 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 14 | Ireland | 16.6% | 2025 | up 45.6% | rising |
| 15 | European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) | 16.4% | 2019 | up 53.3% | rising |
| 16 | France | 16.0% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 17 | Euro area (EA11-1999, EA12-2001, EA13-2007, EA15-2008, EA16-2009, EA17-2011, EA18-2014, EA19-2015, EA20-2023, EA21-2026) | 14.6% | 2021 | up 46.0% | rising |
| 18 | Germany | 14.0% | 2025 | down 26.3% | rising |
| 18 | Spain | 14.0% | 2025 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 20 | Cyprus | 13.4% | 2025 | up 55.8% | rising |
| 21 | Austria | 12.5% | 2025 | down 18.8% | rising |
| 22 | Slovenia | 12.3% | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 22 | Slovenia | 12.3% | 2025 | up 6.0% | flat |
| 24 | Türkiye | 11.5% | 2025 | up 8.5% | volatile |
| 25 | Latvia | 11.2% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 25 | Latvia | 11.2% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 10.8% | 2025 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 28 | Slovakia | 10.6% | 2025 | up 26.2% | falling |
| 28 | Slovakia | 10.6% | 2025 | up 26.2% | falling |
| 30 | Poland | 9.4% | 2025 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 30 | Poland | 9.4% | 2025 | down 3.1% | rising |
| 32 | Malta | 8.9% | 2025 | down 53.2% | volatile |
| 32 | Hungary | 8.9% | 2025 | up 1.1% | volatile |
| 34 | Czechia | 8.7% | 2025 | up 6.1% | volatile |
| 35 | Belgium | 8.5% | 2025 | down 6.6% | flat |
| 36 | Lithuania | 8.1% | 2025 | down 14.7% | volatile |
| 36 | Lithuania | 8.1% | 2025 | down 14.7% | volatile |
| 38 | Croatia | 5.3% | 2025 | down 17.2% | rising |
| 38 | Croatia | 5.3% | 2025 | down 17.2% | rising |
| 40 | Italy | 3.9% | 2025 | down 27.8% | falling |
| 41 | Serbia | 3.5% | 2025 | down 83.4% | volatile |
| 42 | Bulgaria | 2.8% | 2025 | down 22.2% | volatile |
| 43 | Romania | 2.4% | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 44 | Albania | 2.3% | 2023 | down 41.0% | falling |
| 45 | Greece | 2.1% | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 46 | North Macedonia | 2.0% | 2024 | up 81.8% | volatile |
| 46 | Montenegro | 2.0% | 2023 | down 23.1% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.