[Utilization of Medical Rehabilitation Services in Germany: A Comparative Analysis of Survey and Routine Data]. / Die Inanspruchnahme medizinischer Rehabilitationsleistungen in Deutschland im Vergleich verschiedener Survey- und Routinedatenquellen.

BACKGROUND: Population ageing leads to an increase in age-related diseases. Consequently, the need for medical rehabilitation services is also rising. Rehabilitation service in Germany is offered by several rehabilitation carriers. There is no homogeneous rehabilitation statistics, resulting in insufficient data. This paper analyses utilization of medical rehabilitation services in Germany. It uses data from a representative population-based health survey. The results were extrapolated to the general population in Germany and compared with routine data. METHODS: Survey data used were those of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1) with 7 988 participants. Utilization rates were extrapolated to the general population. Routine data sources are the diagnostic data of the Federal Statistical Office on patients using prevention or rehabilitation facilities. Further data sources are the published statistics of the rehabilitation carriers. In order to compute the total number of rehabilitation cases, where data were lacking in the statistics of the rehabilitation carriers, an estimate was made. RESULTS: The analysis of the different data sources shows similar results. In 2010, there were approximately 2.2 million rehabilitation cases in Germany. Around 10% of rehabilitation measures were carried out in the ambulatory setting. Analyses of structural characteristics in the routine data are possible but not recommendable because of bias in the data. CONCLUSIONS: Without detailed data on age structure and trends, challenges of demographic changes and changes in the illness spectrum cannot be adequately described. Because of a lack of sufficient diagnosis-based data, statements on the appropriateness of medical rehabilitation services offered by rehabilitation carriers cannot be made.

[The future incidence of colorectal and lung cancers: results of the calculation of different scenarios for the year 2020]. / Die künftige Entwicklung der Erkrankungszahlen von Darmkrebs und Lungenkrebs : Ergebnisse der Berechnung verschiedener Szenarien für das Jahr 2020.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a common disease that places a large burden on health-care systems. Although the rise of incident cancer cases over recent decades in Germany can largely be explained by demographic ageing, other factors also affect these numbers. The aim of this work was to calculate the incidence of colorectal and lung cancers, two of the most common cancer sites, for the year 2020 under different scenarios. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The calculations were based on national incidence estimates by the Centre for Cancer Registry Data at the Robert Koch Institute. Two scenarios were calculated for each of the two cancer sites and by gender. The "status quo" scenario accounts only for demographic ageing, assuming constant age-specific incidence rates. The second scenario additionally assumes that trends in incidence rates observed from 2000 to 2009 continue up to the year 2020. RESULTS: The "status quo" scenarios showed an increase in incident cancer cases of between 12 and 24%, depending on gender and cancer site. The "continuing trends" scenarios resulted in smaller increases for colorectal cancer (+3 to + 17%), while the results for lung cancer differed widely between women (+ 64%) and men (+ 2%). In general, large increases are expected for the highest age groups and the age groups of the baby boomer generation. DISCUSSION: Changes in the age structure of the German population will lead to an increase in incident cancer cases and a higher portion of geriatric patients. Additionally, further increasing incidence rates would result in a dramatic growth in the number of female lung cancer patients.

[Old and immobile in rural areas? Limited mobility of the elderly in the context of increasingly problematic health care in rural regions]. / Alt und immobil auf dem Land? Mobilitätseinschränkungen älterer Menschen vor dem Hintergrund einer zunehmend problematischen Gesundheitsversorgung in ländlichen Regionen.

Against the background of considerable population ageing processes in rural areas, it is expected that access to the health care system in these regions will deteriorate. Within this context, the question arises as to whether elderly people have the ability to overcome increasing distances in order to receive adequate medical care. Hence the objective of this study is an in-depth analysis of the everyday mobility of elderly people living in rural areas. The empirical analysis is based on the German National Travel Survey "Mobilität in Deutschland 2008". Findings show that older women in particular experience limitations in their mobility options. Only 63% of mobility-impaired women (aged > 75 years) were mobile outside their homes, and only 37% had access to a car, which can be regarded as the crucial factor for being mobile. It follows that older and mobility-impaired women have to cope with everyday life under difficult conditions. In the context of the growing problem of access to the health care system in rural areas, the challenge is to ensure adequate primary health care for a large proportion of the immobile elderly.

[Prevalence of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease in adults aged 40-79 years in Germany: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)]. / Prävalenz von Herzinfarkt und koronarer Herzkrankheit bei Erwachsenen im Alter von 40 bis 79 Jahren in Deutschland: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1).

In the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1), data on the prevalence of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease were collected from 2008-2011 in a representative population-based sample of 5,901 adults aged 40-79 years. The results of DEGS1 were compared with the prevalence estimates from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). The lifetime prevalence of myocardial infarction amongst 40-79 year olds in DEGS1 is 4.7 % (women 2.5 %; men 7 %). In comparison with GNHIES98 a small increase was observed in men, but not in women. The lifetime prevalence of coronary heart disease in adults aged 40-79 years in DEGS1 is 9.3 % (women 6.4 %; men 12.3 %). In comparison to GNHIES98 there is a slight reduction only in women. There is a significant inverse relationship between disease prevalence and socioeconomic status. The trend in prevalence of coronary heart disease is comparable with that in other high-income countries. Given a falling incidence of myocardial infarction and a decrease in the mortality rates due to coronary heart disease, the basically stable prevalence rates indicate a positive development in the field of cardiovascular prevention and therapy. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

[Prevalence of stroke in adults aged 40 to 79 years in Germany: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)]. / Prävalenz des Schlaganfalls bei Erwachsenen im Alter von 40 bis 79 Jahren in Deutschland: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1).

In the German Health Interview and Examination Survey (DEGS1), data on the prevalence of physician-diagnosed stroke were collected from 2008 to 2011 in a representative population-based sample of 5,901 adults aged 40-79 years. The stroke prevalence in DEGS1 was compared with prevalence estimates from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). The lifetime prevalence of stroke in adults aged 40-79 years is 2.9 % (women: 2.5 %; men: 3.3 %). In both sexes, the prevalence increases continuously with age, up to 6.3 % in women and 8.1 % in men 70-79 years old. More pronounced in women than in men, the prevalence of stroke decreases with increasing socioeconomic status. Compared to GNHIES98, there is no evidence for a change in stroke prevalence over time. The prevalence of stroke in adults aged 40-79 years in Germany is comparable to prevalence estimates from other national and international studies. Further studies should examine the reasons behind stable prevalence rates, accounting for population ageing and changes in incidence, mortality and case fatality rates. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

[Prevalence of dyslipidemia among adults in Germany: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS 1)]. / Verbreitung von Fettstoffwechselstörungen bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1).

Interview and laboratory data from the first wave of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1) from 2008 to 2011 were used to provide current estimates of the prevalence of dyslipidemia which are representative of the population in Germany 18 to 79 years of age. A total of 56.6 % of men and 60.5 % of women 18 to 79 years have elevated serum total cholesterol concentrations in excess of the currently recommended threshold of 190 mg/dL; 17.9 % of men and 20.3 % of women have highly elevated total cholesterol concentrations ≥ 240 mg/dL. A total of 19.3 % of men and 3.6 % of women have high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations below 40 mg/dL. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia (total cholesterol ≥ 190 mg/dL or medical diagnosis of dyslipidemia) is 64.5 % for men and 65.7 % for women. Of these, more than half of both men and women have previously undiagnosed dyslipidemia. Among persons with known dyslipidemia, 30.8% take lipid-lowering medication. Dyslipidemia is widely prevalent among adults in Germany. More in-depth analyses will examine time trends in the prevalence of dyslipidemia in Germany and in an international comparison. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

[Utilization of outpatient and inpatient health services in Germany: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)]. / Inanspruchnahme der ambulanten und stationären medizinischen Versorgung in Deutschland: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1).

The article provides representative benchmarks and trends for the use of medical and therapeutic services in Germany on the basis of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1) and the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98) from the years 2008-2011 and 1997/98, respectively. DEGS1 shows that women seek most medical services more often than men. Differences by gender decreased with age. In almost all services, an increase in utilisation is recorded with age. There are large differences in utilisation depending on self-rated health, as opposed to fewer differences by social status, health insurance and region. At both time points, the proportion of the population that utilised outpatient or inpatient medical assistance at least once a year, is almost unchanged high. At the same time, a significant reduction in the annual number of contacts with medical practices and the length of hospital stay was recorded as well as an increase of the consulted specialist groups. This may be explained due to regulation effects of earlier reforms. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

[Forecasts of morbidity based on population projections: what can health monitoring contribute?]. / Morbiditätsprognosen auf Basis von Bevölkerungsprognosen: Welchen Beitrag kann ein Gesundheitsmonitoring leisten?

It is assumed that an aging population will lead to an increase of incidence and prevalence rates of many diseases, thus, resulting in rising health care costs in Germany. Forecasts of morbidity will have to provide plausible information on probable trends of incidence and prevalence rates in order to derive measures to be taken within the health care system. These forecasts are based on population projections considering demographic change. Often, a simple methodical approach is applied by constantly extrapolating empirical morbidity rates into the future. This approach not only takes into account changes resulting from advanced medical care and prevention measures, but also improved health behavior among the population. The dimensions of these changes are still not known. Nevertheless, present trends, which could be utilized for developing dynamic scenarios of future processes, can be identified. For this, the health monitoring administrated by the Robert Koch Institute is a valuable data source. Using these data, morbidity rates and present trends regarding important diseases, which are not available from other data sources, can be determined.