Secular Trends and Rural–Urban Differences in Diagnostic Prevalence of Hay Fever: A Claims-Based Study in Germany

Figures & data

Table 1 Annual Nationwide Administrative Prevalence of Hay Fever, Overall and by Sex in the Years 2010 to 2019

Years	Overall			Females			Males
	Population, N	Patients, n	Prevalence, % (95% CI)	Population, N	Patients, n	Prevalence, % (95% CI)	Population, N	Patients, n	Prevalence, % (95% CI)
2010	69,086,460	4,241,740	6.14 (6.13, 6.15)	38,300,260	2,388,545	6.24 (6.23, 6.24)	30,786,200	1,853,195	6.02 (6.01, 6.03)
2011	69,036,424	4,389,404	6.36 (6.35, 6.36)	38,172,246	2,473,976	6.48 (6.47, 6.49)	30,864,178	1,915,428	6.21 (6.20, 6.21)
2012	68,959,472	4,259,735	6.18 (6.17, 6.18)	38,092,676	2,401,536	6.30 (6.30, 6.31)	30,866,796	1,858,199	6.02 (6.01, 6.03)
2013	69,699,277	4,536,457	6.51 (6.50, 6.51)	38,289,370	2,538,133	6.63 (6.62, 6.64)	31,409,907	1,998,324	6.36 (6.35, 6.37)
2014	69,642,346	4,704,889	6.76 (6.75, 6.76)	38,230,148	2,633,893	6.89 (6.88, 6.90)	31,412,198	2,070,996	6.59 (6.58, 6.60)
2015	69,777,509	4,760,917	6.82 (6.82, 6.83)	38,147,433	2,655,560	6.96 (6.95, 6.97)	31,630,076	2,105,357	6.66 (6.65, 6.66)
2016	70,393,109	4,919,471	6.99 (6.98, 6.99)	38,320,552	2,732,931	7.13 (7.12, 7.14)	32,072,557	2,186,540	6.82 (6.81, 6.83)
2017	71,006,438	4,785,443	6.74 (6.73, 6.75)	38,506,076	2,660,576	6.91 (6.90, 6.92)	32,500,362	2,124,867	6.54 (6.53, 6.55)
2018	72,057,156	4,990,445	6.93 (6.92, 6.93)	38,946,094	2,758,938	7.08 (7.08, 7.09)	33,111,062	2,231,507	6.74 (6.73, 6.75)
2019	71,410,121	5,043,224	7.06 (7.06, 7.07)	38,560,164	2,786,679	7.23 (7.22, 7.24)	32,849,957	2,256,545	6.87 (6.86, 6.88)

Note: Source: Nationwide outpatient claims data encompassing all German statutory health insurances according to §295 SGB V.

Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval.

Figure 1 Age- and sex-standardized diagnostic prevalence of hay fever in total and by sex over time (2010–2019).

Notes: The total prevalence was age- and sex-standardized, prevalence by sex was age-standardized. The population of all SHIs in Germany was used as a reference population for direct standardization. Source: Nationwide outpatient claims data encompassing all German statutory health insurances according to §295 SGB V.

Figure 2 Age- and sex-specific diagnostic prevalence of hay fever in 2010 and 2019.

Note: Source: Nationwide outpatient claims data encompassing all German statutory health insurances according to §295 SGB V.

Figure 3 Age- and sex-standardized diagnostic prevalence of hay fever in districts by district type in 2019 (A), its development over time (2010–2019) by district type (B) and age-specific prevalence by district type in 2019 with prevalence ratios as the quotient of the prevalence in big urban municipalities and in rural areas with a low population density (C).

Notes: The classification of districts into four district types was adopted from the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). In (A) and (B), age- and sex-standardized prevalence was used. The population of all SHIs in Germany was used as a standard reference for direct standardization. Source: Nationwide outpatient claims data encompassing all German statutory health insurances according to §295 SGB V.

Figure 4 Age- and sex-standardized diagnostic prevalence of hay fever in ASHIP regions (A) and by district (B) in 2019.

Notes: Five classes with equal intervals were created. Source: Nationwide outpatient claims data encompassing all German statutory health insurances according to §295 SGB V. ASHIP, regional Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. In total, there are 17 ASHIPs in Germany, of which 15 corresponding to 15 German federal states and two ASHIPs existing in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. 402 districts according to the administrative structure of 31.12.2011. The population of all SHIs in Germany was used as a reference population for direct standardization.