Which countries have the highest mortality rate from noncommunicable diseases
Noncommunicable diseases kill around 41 million people a year across the globe and more than 15 million of those deaths affect people below the age of 70, with the biggest culprits being cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
However, people’s health and access to healthcare can vary drastically from location to location. With this in mind, we want to discover which countries and US states have the highest mortality rates, looking at a range of conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung, liver, and kidney disease.
If you’re thinking about packing up and starting fresh in a new country, It’s important to consider global life insurance to make sure you’re covered in case you develop a life-threatening medical condition.
Mortality score:
The country with the highest mortality score from life-threatening illnesses is Turkey, with an overall score of 8.34 out of 10. Deaths from kidney disease are amongst the highest in the index as it takes third place for this factor with 19.06 deaths per 100,000. Turkey also places in the top five for strokes and lung disease, with 49.06 and 28.02 deaths per 100,000 respectively.
Interestingly, the country has a relatively low rate of liver disease deaths, placing in the middle of the ranking for this factor with only 7.14 deaths per 100,000. This could be due to Turkey’s low rate of alcohol consumption thanks to its majority Muslim population.
Mortality score:
Hungary takes second place with an overall score of 8.29 out of 10 for its mortality rates from life-threatening illnesses. The country has the highest cancer mortality rate in the index with 162.44 deaths per 100,000, the highest rate of lung disease deaths with 30.26 per 100,000, and places second for deaths from both strokes and liver disease.
Mortality score:
Up next is the Slovak Republic, with the central European country scoring highly across the board for its mortality rates. The country placed in the top 10 for five of the six factors we looked at, scoring particularly highly when it comes to cancer deaths with 157.25 per 100,000 people, the second highest rate for the factor.
Liver disease
Kidney disease
Life expectancy score /10
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The central European nation of Hungary takes the top spot for its cancer mortality rate. Hungarians have a relatively high rate of obesity and being overweight, a big risk factor when it comes to cancer, with 60% of its population falling into this category in 2019. Coupled with a shortage of cancer care specialists relative to other EU countries, Hungary has 162.44 cancer deaths per 100,000 people.
per 100,000 people
Lithuania has the highest mortality rate from cardiovascular disease with 174.70 deaths per 100,000 people attributed to the life-threatening illness, which is 20 more per 100,000 than Hungary in second place. Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for developing heart disease, so it's no surprise the country with one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in Europe tops the list.
per 100,000 people
Residents in Latvia suffer the most from stroke mortalities, with just over 99 deaths per 100,000 people attributed to the disease. Health expenditure in the Eastern European nation is low compared to other OECD countries, which could explain the high mortality rate that will only increase as the country deals with its aging population.
per 100,000 people
Hungary takes the unfortunate title of having the highest lung disease mortality rate in the OECD with 30.26 deaths from the disease per 100,000 people. Smoking, both active and passive, is one of the biggest risk factors in contracting lung disease, and as more than 30% of Hungary’s population are smokers, it's no wonder the country has the highest mortality rate from this disease.
24.62per 100,000 people
Mexico is the OECD country with the highest mortality rate when it comes to liver disease, with 24.62 people per 100,000 in the country dying from it in 2020. Hepatitis C infections caused by intravenous drug use are one of the leading causes of liver disease in the country. However, fatty liver disease as a result of obesity is also increasing in Mexico.
per 100,000 people
Mexico also takes the top spot when it comes to its proportion of deaths from kidney disease. The country had 36.72 deaths per 100,000 people caused by the disease in 2020. High blood pressure and diabetes are the most common causes of kidney diseases in Mexico, with poorer and less educated Mexicans making up the majority of cases of this disease.
Mortality score:
Mississippi takes the unfortunate title of the state with the highest mortality score at 9.39 out of 10. The Magnolia State places in the top five for every factor except liver disease mortality, scoring particularly highly when it comes to stroke deaths with 57.8 deaths per 100,000 people, taking the top spot for the factor. Mississippi also has one of the highest mortality rates from cancers too; it takes second place for the factor with 181.8 deaths per 100,00 people.
Mortality score:
Up next is Arkansas with a mortality score of 9.05 out of 10. The state has the highest rate of lung disease in the US with 60.2 deaths per 100,000 people. It also has one of the highest rates of kidney disease deaths too, taking second place for the factor with a mortality rate of 21.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
Mortality score:
In third place is West Virginia, ranking first for half of the factors examined and earning a mortality score of 8.78 out of 10. It places first for cancer death rates at 184.7 per 100,000 people, while also having the highest rate of coronary heart disease at 134.9 per 100,000. Lung disease mortality is also particularly high in West Virginia, ranking third in the country with 57.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
Liver disease
Kidney disease
Life expectancy score /10
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The Mountain State takes the top spot as the area with the most cancer deaths, with 184.7 per 100,000 people. West Virginia has the highest proportion of smokers in the US, which could explain its high cancer mortality rates.
per 100,000 people
West Virginia also tops the ranking when it comes to heart disease mortality, with 134.9 deaths per 100,000 people attributed to the disease in 2020. Smoking also has a devastating impact on cardiovascular health, so it's no surprise West Virginia places first for its heart disease mortality rate with the highest proportion of smokers in the US.
per 100,000 people
The Magnolia State has the highest rate of stroke-related deaths in the U.S. with the disease accounting for 57.8 premature deaths per 100,000 people. Along with the usual comorbidities like high blood pressure and obesity increasing the risk of strokes, COVID infection has also been found to heighten the likelihood of death from the disease due to brain inflammation caused by severe cases.
per 100,000 people
Rural populations in the US suffer the most from lung disease mortality, thanks to agriculture in these areas exposing residents to harmful chemicals through activities like crop burning and spraying pesticides over wide areas. So it comes as no surprise that Arkansas, with its high rural population, takes the top spot for this factor, with 60.2 deaths per 100,000 people attributed to lung diseases.
41.1per 100,000 people
Alcohol abuse is the leading cause of liver disease mortalities, but despite having a relatively low rate of alcohol consumption compared to other states, New Mexico has the highest liver disease mortality rate, with just over 41 deaths per 100,000 people. This shows no signs of stopping, as the state recently relaxed its alcohol licensing laws.
per 100,000 people
Kidney disease occurs among people with obesity at a far higher rate than those living without the condition, and West Virginia has the highest proportion of obesity in the US. This could explain why mortalities resulting from kidney disease are also the highest at 26.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
per 100,000 people
Cancer has the highest mortality rate of the countries we examined, with an average of 114.09 deaths per 100,000 people caused by the disease, nearly twice that of coronary heart disease in second place. Despite cancer being the leading cause of premature deaths, the mortality rate from the disease is steadily decreasing over time as medical advances make them easier to diagnose early on, increasing the likelihood of survival.
per 100,000 people
Thanks to the prevention and treatment of heart disease in high income countries, what was once the leading cause of premature death in the developed world now takes second place with an average mortality rate of 64.27 deaths per 100,000 people. Deaths from this disease are also declining over time due to advances in medical technology and public awareness campaigns on the health risks of comorbidities like smoking.
per 100,000 people
Taking third place is stroke, with an average mortality rate of 28.39 deaths per 100,000 people. Incidents of the disease are projected to increase as the global population ages, although deaths from stroke will decrease as preventative medicine improves and new neurorehabilitation techniques are developed to improve stroke patients quality of life.
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Prevention is often the best cure, and some conditions can be avoided if you take the right steps toward improving your health. With this in mind, here are some tips that could help you decrease your chances of developing a serious medical condition when you’re moving abroad.
Moving abroad can be very stressful and dealing with the uncertainties of relocation can make it easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits. So watching what you eat is one of the best places to start if you want to lower the risk of developing a medical condition that could have a serious impact on your quality of life.
Before you move abroad, make sure you’ve done your research on any local diseases or recent outbreaks specific to the country. Armed with this information, you can get the right vaccinations or medication to stay healthy. Some countries won’t allow you entry if you aren’t vaccinated against particular diseases. If you already take medication for an existing condition, take a month’s supply and your prescription with you and consult your doctor to see if your medication is available abroad.
You should also look into what healthcare services are available to you in your chosen destination as these can vary greatly from country to country and you might have to contribute financially to any treatment you need. Some countries like The US and The United Arab Emirates even legally require expats to take out a health insurance policy and without the right policy you could be turned away before you make it out of the airport.
Make sure to check whether your country of choice has a public healthcare system. This can greatly cut down on healthcare costs for expats with permanent residency as they often cover essential treatment like emergency procedures and prescription medication costs free of charge. Plenty of countries have private healthcare in tandem with universal healthcare too, so if you’re insured you can skip the long waiting lists for non-essential procedures.
You should also check what provisions the healthcare system in your chosen destination makes for expats specifically. When you first move out there, getting to grips with the local language can be a struggle and this language barrier can make communicating with medical professionals very difficult, especially if it's an emergency. So it's a good idea to check which locations also train healthcare providers in English, especially if you anticipate needing healthcare soon after you arrive.
Methodology
Beginning with a list of OECD countries and US States, we analysed each one on the number of deaths per 100,000 of the population (the age-standardised total number of deaths from each disease divided by the total population and multiplied by 100,000) from cancers, coronary heart disease, stroke, lung disease, liver disease, and kidney disease in 2020 according to World Life Expectancy.
To find the mortality score out of 10, we ranked each country on those mortality rates per 100,000 people, giving them a normalised score. We then took an average score across every factor to reach the final mortality score.
To find the developed world’s deadliest noncommunicable diseases, an average was calculated using data from each OECD country.
Indonesia
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Dubai
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Vietnam
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