Life expectancy in Cyprus decreased from 82.4 years in 2020 to 81.7 years by 2022 due to the pandemic, with Covid-19 accounting for 8.4% of deaths in 2021. Excess mortality, gender disparities, and postponed healthcare services contributed to the impact, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance and adaptation in healthcare policy.
What is the impact of the pandemic on life expectancy in Cyprus?
Life expectancy in Cyprus decreased from 82.4 years in 2020 to 81.7 years by 2022, influenced by the pandemic. Despite the decline, Cyprus remains above the EU average. The pandemic caused excess mortality with a rise in deaths, notably from Covid-19, which accounted for 8.4% of deaths in 2021. Health disparities and postponed healthcare services also contributed to the impact.
The Decline of Life Expectancy
Life expectancy in Cyprus, as with many other countries, experienced a significant shift due to the worldwide health crisis. From a high of 82.4 years in 2020, it dipped to 81.7 years by 2022, marking a notable decrease. This drop was even more pronounced in 2021 when it plummeted to 81.3 years. These figures are based on reports from the European Union health authorities, which have been monitoring the situation closely.
Despite this reduction, Cyprus still maintains an edge over the EU average, which stands at 80.7 years for the same period. Gender disparities are evident, as Cypriot women generally outlive men by roughly four years—83.6 years compared to 79.9 years for men. This 3.7-year gap is actually narrower than what is seen in many other EU nations, suggesting a degree of gender health parity in Cyprus.
Excess Mortality and Causes of Death
The concept of excess mortality is crucial to understanding the overall impact of the pandemic. Excessive mortality refers to a higher number of deaths than expected, based on historical data. In Cyprus, the years 2020-2022 have shown increases of 13 percent, 23 percent, and 25 percent respectively in excess deaths. These troubling statistics highlight the severity of the pandemic’s fallout within the nation.
In the year 2020, approximately 2 percent of all deaths were directly attributed to Covid-19. This percentage saw an alarming rise to 8.4 percent in 2021, which translates to 619 lives lost to the virus. The median age of those who succumbed was 80, indicating the virus’s heavy toll on the older population.
Other health issues also remained significant causes of death. Heart disease was responsible for 7.8 percent of fatalities, with diabetes accounting for 6.8 percent. Chronic illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia claimed 5.6 percent of lives, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, strokes, falls, traffic accidents, and suicides had smaller yet impactful percentages.
Cancer continued to be a leading cause of death, with lung cancer at the forefront (4.4 percent), followed by breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer. In a broader perspective, diseases of the circulatory system were the most common cause of death, being responsible for one-quarter of all deaths, with cancer closely following at 22 percent.
Health Status and Health Care Disparities
Despite the apparent challenges, more than three-quarters of the Cypriot population reported being in good health, a figure that surpasses the EU average of 68 percent. This positive self-assessment, however, is skewed by socioeconomic status. A staggering 87 percent of individuals in the highest income bracket reported good health, while only 61 percent in the lowest could say the same, reflecting a clear link between wealth and wellness.
The discrepancies extend to gender and age, with 44 percent of women over the age of 65 reporting multiple chronic conditions, compared to 30 percent of men. This difference underscores the necessity for gender-specific health interventions, especially as the population ages.
The Pandemic’s Broader Effects on Healthcare
The report suggests that the actual death toll from Covid-19 could be higher than the figures show. This possibility, coupled with the disruption to routine health services during the pandemic—including suspended outpatient care and canceled surgeries—may have led to a spike in deaths from other medical conditions.
Vaccination efforts have shown disparities as well, particularly with the second booster, which was not widely administered until July 2022. Lower vaccination rates among older Cypriots likely contributed to the increased mortality seen in 2021 and 2022.
The pandemic tested the resilience of Cyprus’s health system. Elective procedures, which were already below the EU average before the crisis, saw a reduction in 2020. There was an attempt to bounce back in 2021 with an increased volume of care provided to mitigate the backlog and control waiting times.
Overall, the health landscape in Cyprus, shaped dramatically by the pandemic, presents a mixed image of resilience and challenges. The country’s experiences reflect broader global health trends and underscore the importance of ongoing vigilance and adaptation in healthcare policy and delivery.
1. What is the impact of the pandemic on life expectancy in Cyprus?
Life expectancy in Cyprus decreased from 82.4 years in 2020 to 81.7 years by 2022, influenced by the pandemic. Despite the decline, Cyprus remains above the EU average. The pandemic caused excess mortality with a rise in deaths, notably from Covid-19, which accounted for 8.4% of deaths in 2021. Health disparities and postponed healthcare services also contributed to the impact.
2. What are the causes of death in Cyprus during the pandemic?
Covid-19 was a significant cause of death in Cyprus during the pandemic, accounting for 8.4% of deaths in 2021. Other causes of death included heart disease, diabetes, chronic illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, strokes, falls, traffic accidents, and suicides. Cancer, particularly lung cancer, remained a leading cause of death.
3. Are there gender disparities in life expectancy in Cyprus?
Yes, there are gender disparities in life expectancy in Cyprus. Cypriot women generally outlive men by roughly four years, with a life expectancy of 83.6 years compared to 79.9 years for men. However, this gender gap is narrower than what is seen in many other EU nations, suggesting a degree of gender health parity in Cyprus.
4. How did the pandemic impact healthcare services in Cyprus?
The pandemic had a significant impact on healthcare services in Cyprus. Routine health services were disrupted, leading to suspended outpatient care and canceled surgeries. This disruption may have contributed to a spike in deaths from other medical conditions. Vaccination efforts also faced disparities, with lower vaccination rates among older Cypriots likely contributing to increased mortality. The health system faced challenges in providing care, with elective procedures seeing a reduction in 2020 before trying to bounce back in 2021 to mitigate the backlog and control waiting times.
