Filenews 20 December 2023 - by Marilena Panayi
The proportion of people aged 65 and over in Cyprus increased from 11% in 2000 to 16% in 2020 due to higher life expectancy and lower fertility rates. This share is projected to rise to 22% in 2050. Cypriot women aged 65 and over are expected to live another 21.5 years, while men another 19.1 years.
However, the gender gap in healthy life years is smaller as women spend more of their remaining life with chronic diseases and disabilities.
In 2020, approximately 44% of Cypriot women aged 65 and over reported multiple chronic conditions compared to 30% of men. The corresponding figures in the EU are 32% for men and 40% for women. A similar gender gap exists when it comes to activity restrictions: almost one in four women aged 65 and over reported restrictions on daily activities compared to one in seven men.
However, Cypriot women and men live with fewer restrictions in their daily activities than in the rest of Europe.
Specifically, and according to the European report "Health Profile of EU countries", men in Cyprus seem to live at a rate of 14% over the age of 65 with restrictions on their daily activities. The EU average stands at 22%. For women, the proportion of those living beyond 65 with restrictions on their daily activities stands at 23% compared to the EU average of 30%.
Healthy life years and life expectancy in Cyprus could easily improve since, as stated in the European report, more than a third of all deaths could be attributed to behavioural risk factors.
«Approximately 35% of deaths recorded in Cyprus in 2019 can be attributed to behavioural risk factors such as smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and low physical activity. This is lower than the EU average (39% in the same year). Environmental issues such as air pollution are also major causes of mortality in Cyprus."
