Brussels, 09/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - The wide variations in life expectancy and infant mortality historically found between EU countries is narrowing, according to an interim report published on Monday 9 September by the European Commission.
The report points to some positive developments in implementing the EU strategy on health inequalities, Solidarity in Health, while concluding that more action is needed at local, national and EU levels.
European Health Commissioner Tonio Borg stated: “This is encouraging. However, our commitment must be unwavering in order to address the continued gaps in health between social groups and between regions and member states... Action to bridge health inequalities across Europe must remain a priority at all levels”.
On 20 October 2009, the European Commission adopted a strategy for tackling healthcare inequalities. Five major challenges were identified (see EUROPE 10002). The report examines various factors causing health inequalities and finds that social inequalities in health are due to inequalities in social conditions, such as income, unemployment levels and levels of education.
The main observations made in the report are as follows:
1) Sweden has the highest life expectancy for men - 79.9 years, a difference of nearly 12 years compared with the member state with the lowest expectancy (68.1);
2) life expectancy for women is highest in France - 85.7, a difference of 8 years against the member state with the lowest expectancy (77.8 years) ;
3) when it comes to healthy life years in men, there is a difference of 19 years between the lowest and highest values in the EU (2011 figures). For women, this was nearly as high, at 18.4 years;
4) in 2010, the gap between life expectancy at birth between most and least advantaged regions in the EU was 13.4 years for men and 10.6 years for women;
5) in the same year, there were seven EU regions with infant mortality rates greater than 10 per 1,000 live births. This is over 2.5 higher than the EU average of 4.1/1000. (IL/transl.fl)