F O R E W O R D
The data of the present publication are derived from the morbidity survey conducted every two years in relation to the mandatory data collection Report on general practitioners’ and paediatricians’ activities (National Statistical Data Collection Program [NSDCP] 1021). The data reflect the state of 31 December 2009.
The data suppliers were GPs (4,971 persons) and family paediatricians (1,548 persons) working in the Hungarian health care system. GPs carry out the primary care of the adult population but in settlements where there are no family paediatricians (where the number of children is under 600), GPs provide care for those aged 0–18 years, too.
Patients treated or cared for in another health institution but indicated in the GP’s registration were also included in the observed population.
According to the international methodology the morbidity data do not indicate the number of persons but the number of diseases of the individuals. A person who has more than one disease is present in the statistics as many times as many diseases he/she has. In the classification by age-groups, the age completed in 2009 was taken into consideration. The rates were calculated per ten thousand population of the respective age and sex.
Since certain diseases are more frequent in childhood, while others at adult age, the questionnaire for persons of 0–18 years of age is different from the questionnaire filled in for adults.
In the publication, the denomination of the diseases was provided according to the International Classification of Diseases (BNO X.).
The Morbidity Dataset consists of two main parts. The first part contains data on the prevalence of diseases by territory (county and region). The second part indicates some selected important diseases and their prevalence by counties and regions. Detailed data of frequent diseases are suitable for observation of territorial differences by gender and age-groups.