EU Youth Health Perceptions Vary Widely, with Latvia Lagging
In the European Union, young people generally perceive their health positively, with 90.1% rating it as 'good' or 'very good'. However, there are notable variations across countries, with some nations like Romania and Greece reporting significantly higher figures, while others like Sweden and Finland have lower shares.
In 2024, only 10.6% of young Latvians rated their health as 'very good', but 86% believed their health was either 'good' or 'very good'. This places Latvia among the countries with lower self-perceived health among young people, with only Sweden (76.3%), Finland (79.3%), and Denmark (79.8%) reporting lower shares. In contrast, Romania had the highest share of young people (98.2%) reporting good or very good health, followed by Greece (97.7%) and Croatia (96.2%).
In 16 EU countries, more than 90% of young people aged 16-29 reported good or very good health. The differences in health self-perceptions among young people can be attributed to various factors, including cultural and societal influences, the quality of healthcare systems, and individual lifestyle choices. For instance, 9.9% of young Latvians rated their health as 'fair', and 3.4% as 'bad', the second-highest figure in the EU behind Sweden's figure of 4.1%.
The percentage of young people in the EU who consider themselves to be in good or very good health has been relatively stable, decreasing slightly from 92.0% in 2010 to 90.1% in 2024. This stability is also reflected in the comparison with the total population over 16 years of age, with 68.4% perceiving their health as very good or good. The largest differences in these shares were recorded in Lithuania (36.3 pp) and Latvia (35.9 pp).
The varying self-perceived health among young people across EU countries highlights the importance of understanding and addressing these differences. Further research into the specific factors influencing these perceptions can help tailor health policies and interventions to better support young people's health and well-being.
