Abstract

Risk Factors and Health in the Netherlands, a survey on Municipal Health Services. The main aim of the project was to monitor risk factors or determinants of chronic and infectious disease in the general population. Also studied were the differences with respect to many background- and health- related variables between participants interviewed at home and those taking the physical examination. Random sampling by the CBS led to home interviews by trained interviewers of individuals from the age of 0 who were willing to cooperate in the survey. The interview consisted of items related to aspects of health status and use of medicines/medical devices. Questions on lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking and vaccination) were included. At the end of the interview, participants were asked for permission to be approached for an additional health examination. Participants older than 12 years were asked to visit the nearest community or municipal health service (GGD). The project started in 1998 and finished in December 2001. In 2001 38 of the 40 Municipal Health Centres participated in the study. In the periode 1998-2001 there were 19544 participants interviewed and 28% of this participants underwent an physical examination at the health centre. the interview and from the physical health examination. Aspects like medical consumption, endogenous factors, smoking, alcohol use, chronic diseases and physical limitations. The results are presented per Municipal Health Centre region. The prevalence of smoking and alcohol use was higher in men than women. Prevalence of obesity in men was the lowest in the Southern part of the Netherlands. High bloodpressure in women was high in the Northern en Eastern part of the Netherlands. Women are seeing a general practitioner and dentist more often then men.