Preventable mortality declined across the full country sample
The average fell by 36.91 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2023.
Preventable mortality across Europe
How preventable mortality has changed across Europe
This page tracks age-standardised preventable mortality across European countries from 2011 to 2023. The indicator measures deaths from preventable causes among people aged under 75, expressed per 100,000 inhabitants. Lower values indicate better outcomes.
Across all 31 countries in the supplied dataset, the average declined from 197.86 to 160.94 preventable deaths per 100,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2023. The overall decline was substantial, although national levels remained very different and the pandemic years temporarily interrupted the downward trend in many countries.
Explore the data
Key insights
Latvia and Hungary recorded the highest 2023 rates
Latvia recorded 309.01 preventable deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, followed by Hungary at 300.35.
Lithuania recorded the largest long-term decline
Lithuania's rate fell by 116.06 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2023.
Key comparisons
Selected highlights from the preventable mortality dataset, 2011β2023.
Extended analysis
1) Preventable mortality declined substantially across Europe
Across all 31 countries in the supplied dataset, average preventable mortality declined from 197.86 to 160.94 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2023. This represents an average decline of 36.91 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Lower values indicate better outcomes because they represent fewer deaths from causes considered preventable through effective public health and primary prevention measures. The indicator is age-standardised, which improves comparability between countries with different age structures.
2) Latvia and Hungary recorded the highest 2023 rates
In 2023, the highest preventable mortality rates in the dataset were recorded in Latvia (309.01), Hungary (300.35), Lithuania (264.83), Romania (264.04) and Estonia (241.28) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
These values show that large differences in preventable mortality remained across Europe in the latest year. The indicator summarises outcomes from a defined group of preventable causes and does not by itself identify which specific causes or risk factors account for the differences between countries.
3) Liechtenstein, Cyprus and Italy recorded the lowest 2023 rates
The lowest preventable mortality rates in 2023 were recorded in Liechtenstein (78.92), Cyprus (89.70), Italy (98.44), Switzerland (99.64) and Malta (103.93) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Lower preventable mortality can reflect a combination of public health policy, prevention, living conditions and population behaviour. The indicator should therefore be interpreted as a broad health outcome rather than a direct measure of any single part of the healthcare system.
4) Lithuania recorded the largest decline between 2011 and 2023
The largest declines were recorded in Lithuania (β116.06), Slovakia (β75.19), Romania (β74.72), Liechtenstein (β62.63) and Latvia (β60.90) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
These endpoint changes show substantial long-term improvement in several countries that still record relatively high rates. They do not imply a smooth decline in every year, and many country series show temporary reversals during 2020 and 2021.
5) Bulgaria recorded the smallest decline over the full period
The smallest declines between 2011 and 2023 were recorded in Bulgaria (β2.77), Germany (β6.40), Greece (β11.77), Iceland (β15.10) and Spain (β17.84) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
A smaller decline does not necessarily mean that a country has poor current outcomes. Countries started from very different levels in 2011, so long-term change should always be interpreted alongside the latest mortality rate.
How to read this indicator
Preventable mortality measures deaths from causes that could potentially be avoided mainly through effective public health and primary prevention. The values shown here are age-standardised rates for people aged under 75, expressed per 100,000 inhabitants. Lower values indicate better outcomes.
Age standardisation reduces the effect of differences in population age structure and makes comparisons between countries more meaningful. The indicator is different from treatable mortality, which focuses on deaths that could mainly be avoided through timely and effective healthcare after a condition has developed.
The supplied dataset covers 2011β2023 and contains values for all 31 countries in every year of the period. The time series therefore provides a complete country comparison across the full period without endpoint exclusions.