Poles’ life expectancy increasing, reaching highest in history
Poland has reached its highest-ever life expectancy: 74.8 years for men and 82.4 for women, recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the OECD. These figures surpass those in many Central and Eastern European and Baltic countries, though Poland still lags behind most OECD nations.
Cardiovascular diseases and cancer remain leading causes of death. While cancer patients receive prioritized care, late diagnoses remain an issue, partly due to low participation in screening programs. The OECD highlights high alcohol consumption and smoking rates as ongoing health risks. It recommends targeted awareness efforts, taxes on unhealthy foods, and better hospital management. Poland has made strong progress in digital health, ranking fifth in the EU in 2022 for e-health maturity.
