Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Chronic venous diseases are the most common causes of leg ulcers. Compression treatment (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CT</jats:styled-content>) is a central component of venous leg ulcer (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLU</jats:styled-content>) therapy along with prevention based on guidelines and clinical evidence. However, large‐scale data on the use of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CT</jats:styled-content> are rare. In particular, there have not yet been published nationwide data for Germany. We analysed data from a large German statutory health insurance (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SHI</jats:styled-content>) on incident <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLU</jats:styled-content> between 2010 and 2012. <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLUs</jats:styled-content> were identified by <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">ICD</jats:styled-content>‐10 diagnoses. The status of active disease was defined by wound‐specific treatments. Compression stockings and bandages were identified by <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SHI</jats:styled-content> medical device codes. The overall estimated incident rate of active <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLU</jats:styled-content> of all insured persons was 0·34% from 2010 to 2012. Adapted to the overall German population, <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 229 369 persons nationwide had an incident <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLU</jats:styled-content> in 2010–2012. Among all <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLU</jats:styled-content> patients, only 40·6% received <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CT</jats:styled-content> within 1 year, including 83·3% stockings, 31·8% bandages and 3·1% multi‐component compression systems. Compression rates showed significant differences by gender and age. Large regional variations were observed. Validity of data is suggested by high concordance with a primary cohort study. Although recommended by guidelines, there is still a marked under‐provision of care, with <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CT</jats:styled-content> in incident <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VLUs</jats:styled-content> in Germany requiring active measures.</jats:p>