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Burden and prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 in the ageing European population - a SHARE-based analysis

Linda Juel Ahrenfeldt1, Camilla Riis Nielsen1,2, Sören Möller3,4

  • 1Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9B, 5000 Odense, Denmark.

Zeitschrift Fur Gesundheitswissenschaften = Journal of Public Health
|April 19, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Over 75% of Europeans aged 50+ have risk factors for severe COVID-19, with many having multiple conditions. This highlights the need for targeted public health strategies to protect vulnerable populations from the pandemic.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • International health authorities identify older adults (65+) and those with comorbidities as high-risk for severe COVID-19.
  • Prevalence data for these risk factors are lacking in many European countries.
  • Understanding risk factor distribution is crucial for pandemic mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the distribution of COVID-19 risk factors across Europe.
  • To identify the prevalence of underlying medical conditions associated with severe COVID-19.
  • To inform public health authorities about vulnerable subpopulations.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 73,274 Europeans aged 50+ from the 2017 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).
  • Assessed prevalence of risk factors including hypertension, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
  • Estimated disease burden using Eurostat population data.

Main Results:

  • 75.3% of the study population had at least one risk factor for severe COVID-19.
  • 45.9% had at least two risk factors, and 21.2% had at least three risk factors.
  • Prevalence of individual conditions ranged from 4.5% (cancer) to 41.4% (hypertension); regional variation in multiple risk factors was observed (18.9% in Northern Europe to 24.6% in Eastern Europe).

Conclusions:

  • A significant majority of older Europeans possess risk factors for severe COVID-19.
  • Identifying individuals with multiple risk factors is essential for targeted pandemic response.
  • This information can guide the development of effective mitigation strategies to protect vulnerable groups.
Abstract

Keywords:
Burden of diseaseCOVID-19EuropePrevalenceRisk factorsSARS-CoV-2

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