Malta Health Interview Surveys

Participants were asked to rate their general health status on the following scale: very good, good, fair, bad, and very bad. The majority perceive their health as good or very good. The proportion of respondents who rated their health status as good/very good increased over time,

Participants were then asked whether they have any long-standing illnesses or health problems, long-standing meaning illnesses or health problems lasting or expected to last for at least six months. The proportion of persons having a long-standing illness or health problem increased across survey iterations, with more than half of respondents (51.1%) reporting a health problem or illness in 2019/2020 as compared with 25.1% of respondents in 2002 (Figure 2).

To assess activity limitation due to health problems, participants were asked to what extent they felt limited in doing activities people normally do because of a health problem or illness, for at least the previous six months. Most respondents (over 75%) reported not being limited in activities due to health problems or illnesses. The proportion of respondents reporting limitations in activities remained stable over time, except for a decrease in the proportion reporting being severely limited in 2019/2020 (4.4%) when compared with the previous years