The health of the Italians - The Unit

The health of Italian

Tags: health – years – country – Diseases – National – part – crisis – Italian – data

increased the chronically ill and the inequalities in health between different social classes and between the north and south of the country.

Istat survey conducted in 2012-2013 on the health conditions of the Italian population on a sample of about 60 000 households throughout the country, comparing the data with a similar survey conducted in 2005. An observatory in order to understand the effects of the crisis on the health of the Italians. The most important figures are the increase in the percentage of people suffering from chronic diseases (cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer, etc.) and those who have 3 or more chronic diseases. They also increase inequalities in health between different social classes and between the north and south of the country.

The survey finds that about 9 million people have said to suffer from at least one serious chronic disease (14.8% of the population) and 8 and a half million have reported problems of multi-chronic, indicating the presence of three or more chronic diseases regardless of severity (13.9%). The percentage increases with age, but already 55 years an Italian in five is suffering from a serious chronic disease. Among the very elderly (75 years and older), almost one in two people claiming to be suffering from a serious chronic disease or three or more chronic diseases. Between 2005 and 2012 increased by a total of about one and a half both indicators of chronicity, in large part Due to the aging of the population.

increased social inequalities in health among the elderly: people over 65 with little or insufficient economic resources that claim to feel bad or very bad are 30.2% (28.6% in 2005) compared with 14 , 8% of seniors with resources adequate or excellent (16.5% in 2005). In particular, the elders of the South are the population group most vulnerable.

also increased spatial inequalities. In the southern state of health worse than in 2005: in fact growing from 13.2% to 15.5%, the share of those who have 3 or more chronic diseases (particularly among women).