Preventable disease mortality in Czechia higher than EU average

"A healthy lifestyle characterised by a balanced diet, regular physical activity, consistent use of preventive measures and early detection of diseases in connection with accessible and quality health care contributes not only to an increase in life expectancy, but also to a shift in morbidity to higher ages," Dagmar Dzurova, head the institute's research group on socioeconomic inequalities in health, said in the press release.

In 2023, life expectancy for both men and women in the Czech Republic increased by almost 0.8 years year-on-year. On average, a boy born in that year would live to 76.9 years and a girl to 82.8 years. Within the statistics of the European Union countries, the Czech Republic is below the average, with life expectancy at birth in the EU in 2023 for men being 78.7 years and for women 84.0 years.

Preventable diseases include most cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancer. Other diseases, including cancer, are well treatable if detected early. People can use screening covered by public health insurance to detect cancer such as colorectal, prostate, breast, cervical and lung cancer.

Improving the health status of Czechs will depend not only on individual responsibility, but also on systemic changes in prevention and economy and social measures, experts say. "Many people still don't pay enough attention to prevention, and according to research, they are even afraid that prevention will reveal something," said Michala Lustigova from SYRI. She added that public policy must focus on the groups avoiding prevention.

SYRI cited the examples of breast and cervical cancer in women, which are highly treatable if detected early. Fear of being screened and concerns about a possible diagnosis are common reasons for avoiding regular preventive screenings, according to the SYRI research. Regular cervical cancer screening, which is a routine part of a visit to the gynecologist, can reduce deaths from this cancer by tens of percent.