Sylvie Le Minez, demographer, head of demographic and social studies at INSEE.
In 2023, 639,300 people died in France, or 35,900 fewer people than in 2022, a year with very high mortality “marked by five waves of Covid-19, two episodes of flu and periods of extreme heat”, explains the ‘Insee. For the first time, the Institute looked at the days of the year when people die the most. The study reveals that January 3 is the deadliest day, while August 15 is the least deadly. Older people die significantly less often in summer. Furthermore, deaths are less frequent on public holidays and Sundays.
By analyzing 20 years of statistics, INSEE’s conclusions are very clear. There are an average of 1,900 deaths every January 3, the deadliest day. Vulnerable people would hold out until then to be able to spend the Christmas holidays with their loved ones. Another reason given is the risks associated with the resumption of scheduled surgical operations.
Furthermore, the younger you are, the more you have to be wary of another day: your birthday, especially for men between 18 and 40 years old. “There are more excesses observed, more falls, road accidents, cardiovascular accidents or suicides on D-Day. In Japan, the risk of suicide thus increases on one’s birthday,” reports the ‘Insee in this recent study.
Sylvie Le Minez, demographer at INSEE, will analyze the results of the study with us. What are the reasons why the number of deaths is so different on different days of the year, and why the risks are higher on your birthday? She will also return with us to the mortality figures, which will decline sharply in 2023.
Presented by: Caroline Roux, Axel de Tarlé
Production house: France Télévisions / Maximal Productions
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