Sources and methods often differ between countries, therefore, the source of every indicator is presented in the tab ‘Justification’. Data presented on the EHA originate from regional statistics (register data) or projects conducted in the EMR. For more information on the origin of the data, please have a look at the provided sources.
EU Member States are usually compared with each other in statistical presentations, but in reality it can be difficult to compare countries in terms of inhabitants or population density. Therefore, analyzing data at a subnational or regional level is often more meaningful since such an analysis may highlight disparities between different (border-) regions [1].
At the heart of regional statistics is NUTS — the EU’s classification of territorial units for statistics. This regional classification for EU Member States is based on a hierarchy of regions and subdivides each Member State into regions that are classified according to three different levels, covering NUTS levels 1, 2 and 3 from larger to smaller areas [1]. The NUTS levels don’t always fit the administrative areas that are generally used in the countries. The NUTS regulation defines minimum and maximum population thresholds for the size of the NUTS regions [2]:
| Level | Minimum population | Maximum population |
|---|---|---|
| NUTS 1 | 3 000 000 | 7 000 000 | NUTS 2 | 800 000 | 3 000 000 | NUTS 3 | 150 000 | 800 000 |
The following table describes the different NUTS-levels per EMR region that are presented on the EHA:
| NUTS 1 | NUTS 2 | NUTS 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BE | Flemish region/ Walloon region | Province Liège/ Province Limburg (BE) | Arrondissements Hasselt, Maaseik, Tongeren, Huy-Waremme, Liège, Verviers, Ostbelgien | DE | North Rhine–Westphalia | Cologne Government Region | Städteregion Aachen, districts of Düren, Heinsberg, Euskirchen | NL | South Netherlands | Province of Limburg | COROP regions Zuid-Limburg, Midden-Limburg and Limburg-Noord |
On the EHA, data were presented for the different EMR regions. The Belgium part of the EMR covers the Province of Limburg, and the Province of Liège and the region of Ostbelgien, also known as the German-speaking Community. Ostbelgien is part of the Province of Liège, but has an autonomous status and acts as an independent partner in Euroregional cooperation. The Dutch part of the EMR covers the COROP-region South Limburg. The German part of the EMR covers the German Zweckverband Aachen, which is composed of the Städteregion Aachen and the districts of Düren, Heinsberg, and Euskirchen. The administrative division of the EMR regions can be found here.
Additionally, data were presented on the different NUTS-levels per EMR region (depending on data availability).
The most important source of data presented on the EHA is Eurostat. Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union. Eurostat collects, compiles and publishes statistics for the EU and euro area, as well as national, regional and other subnational data. Most regional statistics presented on the EHA originate from Eurostat. However, several statistics are only available on NUTS 2 or NUTS 1 level. Therefore, data from the national statistical offices were used to supplement the figures when available on NUTS 2 or NUTS 3 level.
The Belgium regional statistics were retrieved from the following data sources:
The German regional statistics were retrieved from the following data sources:
The Dutch regional statistics were retrieved from the following data sources:
The Euroregional Health Survey (EHS) young people was carried out online between September 2019 and January 2020. A total of 4878 respondents aged 12 to 26 years participated. The average age was 19 years.
When interpreting the data the following points should be taken into account:
For more information see this table of background information and this report for a detailed description of the methods and results.
The Euroregional Health Survey (EHS) senior citizens was carried out online between September 2019 and January 2020. A total of 3122 respondents aged 55 years or older participated. The average age was 67 years.
When interpreting the data the following points should be taken into account:
For more information see this table of background information and this report for a detailed description of the methods and results.
The Youth Euregional Scan (YES) was carried out between September – December 2019. A total of 13.620 respondents aged 13 to 16 years participated. The average age was 14,5 years.
When interpreting the data the following points should be taken into account:
For more information see these tables of background information of the respondents.
The following YES will be conducted in autumn of 2023.