Cancer, accident, stroke, etc., the main causes of death in France in 2022 have been the subject of a study. The results were made public this Tuesday morning.
In total, 673,190 deaths were recorded in France in 2022, up compared to the previous two years. This figure was scrutinized by DREES, Inserm and Public Health France. The results of the study published this Tuesday, October 8 revealed the five main causes of mortality in mainland France.
Cancer
In France, cancers, also called tumors, are the main cause of death, representing 25.5% of cases. Although the mortality linked to tumors continues to decline overall, it seems to be stabilizing in women. On average, victims are younger than those from other causes of death combined.
Cardio-neurovascular diseases
Cardio-neurovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarctions, strokes and heart failure, constitute the second cause of death in France. They constitute 20.8% of deaths. People affected by these pathologies are generally aged over 85. With the aging of the population, mortality from these diseases has remained stable among men, but has increased slightly among women.
Respiratory diseases
Diseases of the respiratory system, such as influenza and other viral infections (excluding Covid-19), represent 6.7% of death. Half of the victims are 86 years old or older. Mortality from these conditions increased sharply in 2022, a situation that health authorities attribute to the two waves of seasonal flu between 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, as well as the active circulation of other respiratory viruses.
External causes
In 2022, approximately 44,800 people lost their lives due to “external causes”. This category includes accidental falls, domestic accidents, drownings, homicides and even suicides. Among those over 65, these causes constitute the second cause of death after cancer. Due to an increase in falls and domestic accidents, mortality linked to external causes has increased in all age groups.
> Also read: infant mortality on the rise in France
Covid-19
Covid-19 occupied fifth position among causes of death in 2022with a drop of a third compared to 2021. Although the pandemic lost its intensity, the virus continued to cause numerous deaths, especially among the elderly and fragile.
Trends to watch
The study also highlights the increase in deaths due to endocrine diseases and diseases of the digestive system. Furthermore, the place of death also changed in 2022: deaths at home and in nursing homes increased, while those occurring in public health establishments decreased.
