Are people from Brussels and Walloons more optimistic about their health?

Using the data collected for 2004 in the Belgian Health Survey, we aim to show that, after examining all the elements used in determining a self-reported state of health, geographic location bears considerably on the results of self-assessed health, namely a more favourable scoring was registered for individuals that are resident both in the region of Brussels and in the region of Wallonia, with respect to a more negative outlook for individuals that are resident in Flanders. Regional effects do not change, however, even when taking into account the supplying of health services or when controlling their utilization. Moreover, the estimate also considered the adaptation behaviour, represented by health transition and these results still hold true. The above findings can be used both to construct “equivalent expected QALY’s or EEQ” , i.e. the average quality adjusted life years that a newborn, taking account of the different average level of health at the regional level, can expect to live in the different geographical areas of Belgium (the three regions have approximately the same EEQ), and to predict a “need factor” to be used either for equity analysis or to ascertain its development in time.