People in the Netherlands are ingesting too much levels of PFAS through food and drinking water. New research by RIVM confirms this. However, the total quantity of PFAS is lower than previously calculated.

Nitrate concentrations in groundwater on ‘derogation farms’ throughout the Netherlands fell in 2022. One of the reasons for the decrease is that 2021 was a relatively wet year. However, nitrate levels still exceeded the limit value in the Sand and Loess Region.

RIVM has published the code for model projections of COVID-19 hospital and ICU admissions. The code has been shared as part of a manuscript about the model.

From the first week of July, every woman turning 30 will receive a self-sampling device with their invitation for cervical cancer screening. Participants can use this device to collect their own vaginal material.

The overall air quality in 2022 was slightly worse than in 2021. Weather conditions such as temperature and drought played an important role in this difference. This is according to the large-scale concentration maps published by RIVM each year.

The percentage of children vaccinated within the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) has fallen for the second year in a row, according to the 2022 report ‘Vaccination Coverage and Annual Report of the Dutch National Immunisation Programme'. RIVM is concerned about this decline.

A quarter of people who applied for district nursing for themselves or a family member experienced difficulties. It was unclear to them how to apply and what to look out for, or they were told there was no space for them.

More people got tested for an STI at Sexual Health Centres (SHCs) in 2022 than in 2021. There were a total of 164,715 consultations at SHCs. The percentage of people found to have an STI (21%) was also higher than in 2021.

In 2022, 7 out of 10 adults in the Netherlands perceived their own health as good or very good. In late 2020, this was still 8 out of 10 people. Furthermore, there are large differences between regions and population groups in this regard.

Mercury can be naturally present in natural gas. This mercury can end up in your home, especially if you use a natural gas cooker. In 2014, the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) calculated exposure to mercury at daily peak moments.