Cypriots have the highest life expectancy in the world relative to the amount of money they spend on healthcare, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the Schools of Public Health at Brown and Harvard Universities in the United States. The team is led by Irene Papanicolas, a Cypriot professor at Brown.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, have attracted global interest, with coverage in American and European media. The findings highlight Cyprus’s achievement in recording the lowest mortality rates while maintaining relatively low healthcare spending.
The study finds that between 2009 and 2021 the avoidable mortality increased in all US states, primarily due to increases in preventable deaths, while it decreased in comparable high-income countries. Among these high-income countries, Cyprus has one of the lowest levels of avoidable mortality, while also demonstrating relatively low healthcare spending.
Although Cyprus showed a decrease in avoidable deaths between 2009 and 2019, following the general trend seen in many high-income countries, the extent of this decrease was smaller. Similarly to other high-income nations, Cyprus also experienced an increase in avoidable mortality during the pandemic (2019–2021).
Between 2009 and 2019, most high-income countries, particularly those in the EU and the OECD, experienced a decrease in avoidable mortality. In contrast, all U.S. states saw an increase. While Cyprus also recorded a decrease in avoidable deaths during this period, the reduction was smaller compared to some other EU and OECD countries. This may be partly attributed to the fact that Cyprus already had relatively low levels of avoidable mortality at the beginning of the period.
The overall downward trend in many high-income countries suggests that systemic factors, potentially including strong public health infrastructure and universal or near-universal access to healthcare, contributed to improved outcomes. For Cyprus, this reinforces the success of its healthcare system and the importance of maintaining these positive trends.
The increase in avoidable mortality in the U.S. prior to the pandemic was largely due to preventable deaths, particularly from external causes (accidents, homicides, suicides) and cardiovascular diseases. This highlights the critical role of factors outside the traditional healthcare system, such as public health policies, safety regulations, and the social determinants of health. Cyprus could further strengthen its success by proactively addressing these broader health determinants through cross-sector collaboration and targeted public health initiatives focused on areas like road safety and mental health support.
The impact of the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2021), nearly all countries, including U.S. states and Cyprus, experienced an increase in avoidable mortality. According to the study, this underscores the vulnerability of even high-income countries to major health crises. The study also found that regions with higher baseline levels of avoidable mortality tended to experience greater increases during the pandemic.
For Cyprus, this highlights the importance of maintaining a resilient healthcare system and strong public health preparedness in order to effectively respond to future health emergencies, even after demonstrating strong baseline health outcomes.
Higher healthcare spending leads to lower avoidable mortality
According to the study, health spending was significantly negatively associated with avoidable mortality for other high-income countries but not across US states, meaning that higher spending was generally associated with lower avoidable mortality, except in the U.S., raising questions regarding US health spending efficiency.
Cyprus’ achievement of low avoidable mortality with relatively low spending suggests a potentially efficient healthcare system. “It should continue to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of its healthcare spending to ensure that it continues to translate into positive health outcomes for its population” the researchers note.
In conclusion, the findings of the study indicate that the Cypriot healthcare system succeeds in delivering quality care without excessive spending. However, the researchers note that further research is needed to better understand the population’s needs and to design targeted actions that will further strengthen public health in the country.
( Source : CNA )
