The number of people suffering from multiple chronic illnesses simultaneously is steadily increasing in Belgium.
The latest national health survey by Sciensano released on Tuesday has found a notable rise in people with 'multimorbidity', with a great increase among those aged 25-64 over those over 65.
In both men and women, the most common chronic conditions in Belgium are allergies, affecting 25% of those over 15—an explosion over the past 20 years—back problems (25%), osteoarthritis (19%), and high blood pressure (16%).
For the first time, Sciensano’s health survey, conducted every five years, also examined less common conditions.
Key findings include a 12.2% prevalence of dementia in those aged 85 and over, 5% of the population experiencing bothersome tinnitus, and 3.1% of women aged 15-24 reporting endometriosis.
Anxiety affects about 7% of those over 15, and the increasing number of depression cases among young people over the last five years is alarming.
Multimorbidity has been rising for some time among those aged 25-64, with "nearly half (48%) of people aged 15 and over now affected by multiple chronic illnesses."
Gender plays a significant role in multimorbidity; its prevalence is 54.1% among women compared to 41.7% among men.
