Women in the Netherlands still struggling with their health more than men

Women in the Netherlands continue to struggle more with their health, both physical and mental, than men. This also translates into more frequent doctor visits, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Friday.

Women of all ages rate their own health more negatively than their male counterparts. Last year, 26 percent of all women said they had poor health, compared to 21 percent of men.

Women are more likely to suffer from long-term conditions. Last year, women were about twice as likely to suffer from migraines (18.2% women and 8.3% men), intestinal disorders (6.6% women and 3.3% men), arthritis (20.3% women and 12.6% men), and chronic joint pain as men (8,1% women and 4.8% men). Incontinence was four times more common in women than in men (10.3% women and 2.8% men).

Mental health problems are also more common in women than in men. 47 percent of women experience feelings of anxiety or depression, compared to 36 percent of men.

There are a few health conditions that are more common in men, cardiovascular diseases in particular. 4 percent of men aged 12 and older have had a heart attack, compared to 2 percent of women.

More health problems translate into more frequent doctor visits for women. In 2025, 72 percent of women visited their house doctor or general practitioner, compared to 66 percent of men. Women also consulted medical specialists (45.0% women and 39.0% men), physiotherapists (31.9% women and 25.2% men), and mental health professionals (13.9% women and 9.8% men)more often.

There are several reasons that women struggle with their health more than men, Annemiek Nap, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Radboud University who specializes in female-specific conditions, told NOS. “Women’s complaints are often taken less seriously, or women are afraid that their complaints will be taken less seriously.” That results in women often suffering from a condition for a long time. “They think: you apparently have to learn to live with it.”

Furthermore, female-specific conditions, such as problems with the menstrual cycle and menopause, have received very little research until recently. And medical studies were always conducted primarily on men, Nap said. As a result, conditions are better recognized in men than in women.

Women’s health is now getting more attention, and it is important that the medical community maintains this, Nap said. “The fact is that women are different from men, and some diseases manifest differently. We must remain vigilant about that.”