Press release 12/29/2014

HOSPITAL MORBILITY STATISTICS 2013

The number of patients discharged from hospitals in the Basque Country increased slightly in 2013

However, the number of pregnancy, birth and puerperium incidents decreased for the third consecutive year

Hospitals in the Basque country registered 312,562 discharges of patients that were admitted in 2013, which was 0.7% up on the previous year, according to Eustat data. Other notable data were: the progressive fall in pregnancy, birth and puerperium incidents (-7% in 2013, -4% in 2012 and -1% in 2011), the rise in the number of people attended to aged 65 and over (representing 45.4% of people hospitalised) and the increase in age-related diseases (cataracts and osteoarthrosis).

97.4% of hospitalised individuals lived in the Basque Country (49.3% in Bizkaia, 32.7% in Gipuzkoa and 15.4% in Álava), 2.4% lived in other provinces (Burgos, Cantabria and Navarra are among the most common) and 0.1% lived abroad.

Men accounted for 48.8 % and women 51.2%. In terms of age, the most numerous group was the 65 and over age group, whose number has been increasing in recent years, going from 39.5% in 2000 to 45.4 % in 2013, with 77 being the most common age for hospitalisation.



The most frequently diagnosed disease in 2013 was cataracts which, once again, placed diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs as the main cause of hospital admissions (13.3%); these were followed by diseases of the circulatory system and of the digestive system (both in second place with nearly 12%), osteomuscular diseases (9.4%) and tumours (9.2%).

Morbidity patterns varied according to sex: in men, diseases of the digestive system (14%) and of the circulatory system (13.6%) were the most frequent. Furthermore, in the first group, inguinal hernias and gallstones stood out as the most common diseases, while in the second heart failure and cardiac dysrhythmias were the most prominent.

In women, the most common cases corresponded to diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs, corresponding to 14.7% of discharges, with cataracts predominating, and incidents of pregnancy, birth and puerperium at 14.3%, with post-term pregnancy being particularly common.

Osteomuscular diseases (9.4%) mostly affected the 45-64 age group, and came in fourth place after tumours. Among these diseases, derangement of the knee predominated in men and osteoarthritis in women.

Tumours were the fifth reason for hospital admission, at 9.2%, and affected men more than women; the most common cancers included bladder, colon and breast cancer.



The average stay in hospital stood at 5.8 days in 2013. The longest stays corresponded to mental disorders (14 days), perinatal diseases (11 days), infectious diseases (8.9 days) and tumours (7.7 days).

Note: The data refers to hospitals providing acute care. Conventional hospital admissions were considered, with stays of at least 1 night, and those who were discharged the same day.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62 Further press releases on Hospital Admission and Discharge Statistics Hospital Admission and Discharge Statistics databank