Irish deaths from heart attacks and cancer above EU average

Irish health outcomes continue to lag behind other western countries, despite improvements in recent years, according to an OECD report.

Ireland ranks in the bottom third internationally in many of the measures of health performance contained in Health at a Glance.

The report looks at key indicators of health and health systems in the 28 EU countries, 5 candidate countries to the EU and 3 European Free Trade Association countries.

The death rate from heart attacks, cancer and pneumonia is above average, but the death rate from strokes has fallen significantly below the EU average.

Ireland ranks third highest in Europe for the incidence of prostate cancer, sixth for breast cancer and fourth for all cancers. Our breast cancer mortality rate is the second worst in Europe.

Ireland has the third worst death rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) , and we rank second worst, after the UK, for deaths from respiratory diseases. Asthma and COPD admissions are the highest in Europe, notwithstanding that our air is the cleanest.

Despite these issues, over 80 per cent of Irish people say their health is good or very good, the highest in Europe. We also report one of the lowest levels of disability in the population.

Ireland ranks fifth worst for hepatitis C cases, and second highest, after the UK, for gonorrhea.

On the positive side, smoking rates have tumbled from 33 per cent in 2000 to 19 per cent in 2014, and we have the third lowest number of young smokers.

The study finds we have the fifth lowest rate of drunkenness among 15-year-olds, defined as having been drunk twice in their life. Consumption of alcohol among adults, while above average ranks 10th in Europe.

Irish people are living an extra 4.5 years after reaching the age of 65 compared to 1990, one of the biggest gains recorded. All EU has seen life expectancy grow over the past 25 years.

Life expectancy at birth in Ireland, at 81.4 years, remains below the EU average.

Obesity among adults, at 23 per cent, is the second highest in Europe after Malta; child obesity is close to the EU average.

Our teenagers rank fourth for eating fruit and vegetables and second for taking moderate to vigorous daily exercise.

Irish health expenditure is the fifth highest in the EU but has declined faster than almost everywhere else, the study shows. We spend more than all other countries except Germany on pharmaceuticals, though this spending is falling at the third fastest rate internationally.

Ireland has the fifth lowest number of doctors per head of population, the fifth highest number of nurses and the second lowest number of hospital beds. Only Malta produces more medical graduates relative to population.

The report say better public health and prevention policies as well as more effective health care could save hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of euro each year in Europe.

The premature deaths of 550,000 working-age people across EU countries from chronic diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancer, cost EU economies €115 billion or 0.8 per cent of GDP annually, it estimates.