People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland
Ireland: People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age was 23.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
23.5%
Change on year
up 27.7%
World rank
30th
of 38 countries
All-time high
23.5%
in 2025
All-time low
8.2%
in 2009
Years of data
17
2009–2025
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland, 2009–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 23.5% for people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in 2025. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
The figure is up 27.7% on the previous year and up 79.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland peaked at 23.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2009.
That places Ireland 30th out of 38 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 8.2% | — |
| 2010 | 13.4% | +63.4% |
| 2011 | 13.2% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | -23.5% |
| 2013 | 13.3% | +31.7% |
| 2014 | 14.5% | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 13.1% | -9.7% |
| 2016 | 15.2% | +16.0% |
| 2017 | 16.6% | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 13.6% | -18.1% |
| 2019 | 14.4% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 14.6% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | +34.9% |
| 2022 | 15.7% | -20.3% |
| 2023 | 17.7% | +12.7% |
| 2024 | 18.4% | +4.0% |
| 2025 | 23.5% | +27.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 23.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 28.0%, 84% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 23.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 28.0%, 84% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 13.7% | 10.1% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.3% | 14.6% | 23.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 27 Germany 25.6% compare
- 28 Latvia 24.7% compare
- 28 Latvia 24.7% compare
- 31 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 23.3% compare
- 31 United Kingdom 23.3% compare
- 33 Luxembourg 23.0% compare
More population data for Ireland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.68 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1157 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,725 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5372 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1844 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 76.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 217,052 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland?
- People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age in Ireland was 23.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2009.
- How does Ireland rank for people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age?
- Ireland ranks 30th out of 38 countries with data for 2025.
- Is people having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 79.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of People having a long-standing illness or health problem, by sex, age and groups of country of birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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