A review of the data shows that in 2021 we got a little older, gained weight, took more sick leave and took more medication. At the same time, we were more educated and less injured in traffic accidents. It has been shown that alcohol has a reduced impact on our health. In 2021, physical and mental health indicators were also affected by the covid-19 pandemic, although less than in the first year of the pandemic, in 2020.
Some indicators show improvement in health
Compared to the previous publication, we can see an improvement in health indicators in several areas at the level of Slovenia. For the fifth year in a row, we have observed a lower number of hospitalizations due to asthma in children and adolescents, which decreased by a good 21% compared to the previous publication. Thus, the values of the indicator of hospitalization of children due to asthma improved in as many as 136 municipalities.
We also recorded 2.4% fewer cases of hospitalizations due to strokes. Also, for the fifth year, the trend of decreasing hospitalizations due to diseases directly attributable to alcohol continues.
Two indicators show increased road traffic safety in 2021. Compared to the previous publication, the rate of injuries in transport accidents decreased again, as well as the proportion of traffic accidents with alcoholic drivers.
Other indicators point to poorer health
We have noticed a deterioration in some indicators at the level of Slovenia. We again record a higher level of total mortality, which in the 5-year average is significantly affected by the year 2020. At the national level, it is possible to compare the years 2020 and 2021, and this comparison shows that the total mortality in 2021 is lower than in 2020, when it was higher mortality due to the covid-19 pandemic. Also, after several years of a positive trend of decreasing the number of suicides, we are seeing a resurgence. Compared to the previous publication, the mortality rate due to suicide in Slovenia increased by a good 2%. After a multi-year positive trend of decreasing recipients of medication due to mental problems, in 2021 we again recorded their increase, namely by 2% compared to 2020.
The number of new cancer cases continues to grow, mainly at the expense of an increase in the incidence of lung cancer (by 2.1%) and breast cancer (by 3.2%). At the same time, the rate of newly discovered cancers of the colon and rectum, in contrast to other locations of cancer, is steadily decreasing (by 2.4%).
For the eighth year in a row, we have recorded an increase in sick leave in Slovenia, which has noticeably increased compared to 2016, when we first published indicators at the municipal level. Sick leave increased on average from 13 to 19 days of incapacity for work per employed resident. In 2021, compared to 2020, the duration of sick leave was extended in as many as 140 municipalities, with as many as 127 municipalities above the Slovenian average.
As expected, we also detected a marked deterioration in the sports card data of school-age children. In 2021, the physical fitness values of children deteriorated in as many as 109 municipalities. The indicator of overnutrition among school children worsened by a good 3 percent.
Participation in the ZORA and DORA screening programs improved
After a drop in 2020, the screening rate of women in the ZORA program increased by a good 3 percentage points and was 71.7% in 2021, bringing it back above the 70% mark, which represents the desired participation rate for maximum effects of national screening. Likewise, the screening rate for the DORA program has also increased by almost 2 percent and amounts to a good 78%. In the DORA program, which is intended for the early detection of breast cancer, we record the highest participation of all national cancer screening programs in Slovenia.
The indicator of the Svit Screening Program for the detection of colon and rectal cancer shows lower participation for the second year in a row. Compared to 2020, the response to the Svit Program in 2021 decreased by 1 percentage point and amounts to 63.4%, which deviates from the gradual trend of increasing response since the beginning of the program.
The impact of the pandemic on some indicators
In 2021, we saw an increase in the number of people receiving anti-clotting drugs, which increased by 2 percent compared to the data for 2020. There was also an upward curve in the number of people receiving drugs for diabetes, which after a slight decline in 2020 returned to the long-term increasing trend. In 2021, fewer residents received medication due to elevated blood pressure, this downward trend has been observed throughout all eight years of publication of the indicator.
The number of home care users decreased again, after rising before the pandemic, it fell again.
After several years in a row we recorded an increase in the number of hip fractures in the population over 65 years of age, in 2021 the trend turned downwards and shows values that are even lower compared to 2016, when we first published this indicator at municipalities. The rate of hip fractures decreased by 2.7% compared to last year's publication.
News
This year we are publishing four new indicators:
- The values of the indicators "Access to safe cycling and walking paths" and "Participation in community decisions" are obtained from the sixth National Survey Health-related behavioral style and reflect the view of residents of local communities on the quality of living in their settlements.
- The indicator "New cases of stomach cancer" is summarized according to data from the Cancer Registry of the Ljubljana Oncology Institute and is intended to monitor the incidence in Slovenia as part of the EU's strategic plan for its prevention.
- The indicator "Disability in daily self-care" shows the results of the National Survey on Health and Healthcare (European Health Interview Survey - EHIS), and shows the proportion of residents over 55 who have problems with daily activities while staying at home.
Detailed descriptions of the indicators, their purpose and calculation methods can be found in the publication Methodological explanations at the following link .
In the central content of this year's short publications for municipalities, we touched on the topic of health literacy of the inhabitants of Slovenia. Health literacy is a key factor and mediator and promoter of health. It is the basis for the empowerment and active participation of individuals in taking care of their own health and for successfully using the possibilities of the health system. In everyday life, it is important for making informed decisions about health, disease management, understanding health messages, communicating with health professionals, it is related to the health outcomes of individuals and also to the costs of health care. You can read more about the level and social differences in the health literacy of the inhabitants of Slovenia in the central content of the short publications Health in the Municipality.
Be careful when interpreting data on changes in indicators
This is the eighth year in a row that we have published the indicators this year, which also enables a retrospective comparison. However, it is necessary to interpret the changes between periods carefully and to take into account the fact that in municipalities with a small number of inhabitants, those indicators that show less frequent events, such as illness and death due to individual causes, fluctuate strongly even in a few cases more or less. We tried to balance this phenomenon by calculating indicators from multi-year averages (in some cases also 10-year averages). Data for each individual municipality and the calculated absolute and relative differences between last year's and this year's publication are available in a table on the Health in the Municipality website.
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