Health of people with impairments and disabilities in Germany – Selected indicators from GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS

A large part of the population is affected by impairments and disabilities. Around 13% of people in Germany have an officially recognised disability, and an estimated 15.6% have an impairment. This article provides an overview of the health of people with impairments and disabilities on the basis of selected indicators. The analyses are based on data from 23,372 participating persons aged 18 and over (12,747 women, 10,625 men) in the GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS study of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a nationwide survey of the adult population in Germany. 21.5% of persons with impairments and disabilities rate their health as good or very good, in contrast to 76.0% of persons without impairments and disabilities. Depressive symptoms exist in 27.1% of persons with impairments and disabilities and 7.5% of persons without impairments and disabilities. In part, there were differences in health behaviour, for example, people with impairments and disabilities do less aerobic physical activities and consume alcohol in risky amounts less often. 97.0% of the persons with and 86.1% of the persons without impairments and disabilities make use of outpatient medical services within one year, the former also have a higher inpatient and home care utilisation. Overall, poorer health is found among women than among men with impairments and disabilities, as well as with increasing age. The analyses show the need for prevention, health promotion and health care. Further data is needed to describe the health situation of people with impairments and disabilities

Abortions in Germany – Current data from the statistics on terminations of pregnancy

Unwanted pregnancies and abortions are experiences shared by many women. In light of the fact that some general framework conditions are currently changing in Germany, and that the Corona pandemic represents a particular challenge for the care of women with unwanted pregnancies, current data from the statistics on terminations of pregnancy of the Federal Statistical Office are outlined. Compared to Europe, Germany has a low proportion of induced abortions. In 2021, 94,596 abortions were reported. The number of abortions as well as the abortion rate and the abortion ratio have decreased since 2001. 95.8% of abortions took place according to the so-called counselling provision. In more than half of the abortions (52.1%) vacuum aspiration was used, in 11.4% curettage, 32.3% were medical abortions using mifepristone. There are large regional differences in the method used

Intention for Screening Colonoscopy among Previous Non-Participants: Results of a Representative Cross-Sectional Study in Germany

Early detection of colorectal cancer has the potential to reduce mortality at population level. Colonoscopy is the preferred modality for colon cancer screening and prevention, but attendance rates are low. To exploit colonoscopy’s preventive potential, it is necessary to identify the factors influencing uptake, especially among previous non-participants. This analysis of cross-sectional data involved 936 non-participants in screening colonoscopy aged 55 years or older in Germany. Differences between non-participants with and without future participation intentions were investigated in terms of socio-demographic factors, health status, attitudes and beliefs, and medical counselling. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate associations between intention to participate and selected factors. Intention to participate was lower among women than among men. For both genders, intention to participate was positively associated with younger age. For women, higher socioeconomic status and counselling were positively associated with intention to participate. Men showed a positive association with favouring joint decision-making. The results draw attention to starting points for improving acceptance of and participation in screening colonoscopy. This includes good medical counselling and successful physician–patient communication, for which the information and communication skills of both medical professions and the general public should be strengthened. Gender differences should be considered.Peer Reviewe

Limitations in activities of daily living and support needs – Analysis of GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Being able to perform activities of daily living is an important component of a person's ability to function. If these activities are impaired, support is needed. Using data from GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS, we present how many people aged 55 and older living in private households in Germany experience limitations in activities of daily living. Severe limitations in basic (fundamental) activities (e.g. food intake) are reported by 5.8% of women and 3.7% of men. The proportion increases with age as 13.4% of women and 9.0% of men aged 80 and older experience limitations. Severe limitations of instrumental activities of daily living (e.g. grocery shopping) are rather rare in participants less than 80 years of age. But at age 80 and older the proportion rises to 35.9% of women and 21.0% of men. A total of 68.1% of afflicted women and 57.5% of men receive help and support related to limitations of basic activities. Women are also more likely to report a lack of support (48.8% vs. 43.2%). The situation is slightly better with regard to instrumental activities. The results of GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS show in which areas of daily life older and very old people are impaired, give an impression of who is affected particularly strongly and indicate where support services are insufficient. As such, these results provide clues as to where support can be provided to enable older people to keep living in their own homes for a long time

Sexual and contraceptive behaviour of young adults in Germany - Results from KiGGS Wave 2

Sexual behaviour is an important aspect of sexual health. 18-year-old and older participants of the KiGGS cohort in KiGGS Wave 2 were asked about their sexual and contraceptive behaviour. Data from 2,966 women and 2,206 men were included in the analysis, which was adjusted to the age and sex distribution of the German population by means of weighting. More than half of the respondents report their first sexual intercourse before reaching the age of majority (women 61%, men 53%). Women report a lower age than men. With regard to the number of opposite-sex sexual partners in the last twelve months, almost 69% of women and 58% of men state that they have had contact. Three or more sexual partners were reported by 11% of women and 20% of men. 7.4% of women have same-sex and 1.4% have both same-sex and opposite-sex sexual contacts, among men the figures are 2.8% and 0.4%, respectively. When asked about the type of contraception used during the last sexual intercourse, about two thirds of the women and more than half of the men indicated the pill; a condom is used by about 44% of the women and about two thirds of the men. Almost one third of the women have already taken the morning-after pill. Overall, the results can help to support prevention and education campaigns on sexual and reproductive health

Toothache, tooth brushing frequency and dental check-ups in children and adolescents with and without disabilities

According to international studies, children and adolescents with disabilities have more tooth decay, brush their teeth less often twice a day and use preventive dental services less often than children and adolescents without disabilities. With data from the second follow-up to the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2, 2014–2017), toothache, tooth brushing frequency and dental check-ups are examined in children and adolescents with and without disabilities. It was found that children and adolescents with disabilities had more toothache in the three months before the survey (23.5% and 15.9%, respectively) and brushed or got their teeth brushed twice a day less often (33.5% and 22.2%, respectively) than children and adolescents without disabilities. Differences in the utilisation of dental check-ups could not be determined. Overall, the results point to the importance of measures to promote tooth brushing frequency in order to improve the oral health of children and adolescents with disabilities. In addition, further opportunities should be created to collect data on the oral health of people with disabilities at the population level in health or participation studies

Einschränkungen bei Alltagsaktivitäten und Unterstützungsbedarfe – Auswertungen der Studie GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS

Die Ausübung von Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Funktionsfähigkeit eines Menschen. Falls Einschränkungen vorliegen, ist Unterstützung bei diesen Tätigkeiten erforderlich. Anhand von Daten der Studie GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS wird dargestellt, wie viele der in Privathaushalten lebenden Personen ab 55 Jahren in Deutschland Einschränkungen in Alltagsaktivitäten aufweisen. Schwere Einschränkungen in den basalen (grundlegenden) Aktivitäten (z. B. der Nahrungsaufnahme) geben 5,8 % der Frauen und 3,7 % der Männer an. Der Anteil nimmt mit dem Alter zu, von den ab 80-Jährigen sind 13,4 % der Frauen und 9,0 % der Männer betroffen. Schwere Einschränkungen bei den instrumentellen Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens (z. B. Einkäufe erledigen) sind bei Personen unter 80 Jahren eher selten. Der Anteil bei den ab 80-Jährigen liegt bei den Frauen bei 35,9 % und bei den Männern bei 21,0 %. Bei Einschränkungen der basalen Aktivitäten erhalten 68,1 % der betroffenen Frauen und 57,5 % der Männer Hilfe und Unterstützung. Frauen berichten zudem häufiger über fehlende Unterstützung (48,8 % vs. 43,2 %). Bei den instrumentellen Aktivitäten ist die Lage etwas besser. Die Ergebnisse aus der Studie GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS zeigen, in welchen Bereichen des täglichen Lebens ältere und hochaltrige Menschen eingeschränkt sind, geben einen Eindruck, wer besonders betroffen ist und wo Unterstützungsleistungen nicht ausreichend sind. Sie liefern damit Anhaltspunkte, wo unterstützend angesetzt werden kann, um älteren Menschen einen langen Verbleib in der eigenen Häuslichkeit zu ermöglichen

Hysterektomie

Die Gebärmutterentfernung (Hysterektomie) zählt zu den häufigsten gynäkologischen Eingriffen weltweit. Auch in Deutschland sind viele Frauen betroffen. In der aktuellen Ausgabe von GBE kompakt werden die wichtigsten zugrundeliegenden Erkrankungen dargestellt und die verschiedenen Operationsmethoden einer Hysterektomie skizziert. Einen weiteren Fokus legen die Autorinnen Franziska Prütz und Elena von der Lippe auf die Beschreibung der Häufigkeit des Eingriffs in Deutschland und auf mögliche Einflussfaktoren einer Hysterektomie. Als Datengrundlage dienen dabei vor allem die Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1) des Robert Koch-Instituts