Almost a third of Estonians have long-term health problems

Photo: Arvet Mägi

According to the data of the 2011 Population and Housing Census 388,077 people in Estonia or 30 percent of the population suffer from some long-term illness or health problem.

People with basic or lower education are twice as likely as those with higher education to have a long-term illness, Statistics Estonia said.

Of urban residents 30 percent and of the people living in rural areas 31 percent reported having health problems.

Men experience long-term illnesses slightly more until 30 years of age, women after they turn 50. Starting from age 30, men living in rural areas have more long-term health problems than their counterparts in urban areas. Among children and young people the incidence of long-term illnesses is relatively higher until the age of 10 after which it decreases significantly.

Education has an essential impact on people's health, Statistics Estonia said. The risk of long-term illnesses is very high for persons with a basic education or lower. Persons aged 20-50 who have a higher education are on average half as likely as less educated people of the same age to experience a long-term illness or health problem.

Education has a bigger effect on health behavior in rural areas than in urban areas. In urban areas the morbidity of persons with basic education is 24 percent and in rural areas 44 percent higher than the respective indicator of persons with higher education.

Not surprisingly the healthiest people live in the counties with the youngest populations - Harju and Rapla, where less than one fourth of the people suffer from long-term illnesses. The highest rates of long-term illness can be found in the counties bordering Lake Peipsi - Polva, Jogeva and East-Viru, where respectively 43 percent, 40 percent and 38 percent of the population is affected.