Malta Records Second-Highest Dementia Death Rate Among Elderly In EU

Malta recorded the second-highest standardised death rate from dementia among people aged 65 and over in the European Union in 2023, according to figures published by Eurostat   The figures show that Malta registered 389 dementia-related deaths per 100,000 elderly inhabitants, placing it just behind the Netherlands, which recorded the highest rate at 392.   The findings form part of a wider Eurostat report examining deaths linked to mental and behavioural disorders across the EU. In 2023, approximately 210,000 people died from mental and behavioural disorders across the bloc, accounting for 4.3% of all deaths.   Dementia was the leading cause of death within this category, accounting for 84% of all deaths attributed to mental and behavioural disorders.   The condition was particularly prevalent as a cause of death among older people, with the EU recording a standardised dementia death rate of 174 per 100,000 inhabitants aged 65 and over.   Meanwhile, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Slovenia recorded the lowest rates, each reporting fewer than five dementia deaths per 100,000 elderly inhabitants.   Eurostat also highlighted that the standardised dementia death rate among people aged 65 and over was almost 700 times higher than that recorded among people under 65.   The figures are age-standardised rates rather than actual death counts, allowing comparisons between countries with different population structures.   Eurostat also cautioned that differences in diagnosis and reporting practices between countries may influence the figures.

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