Main Causes of Avoidable Mortality in Slovakia

Avoidable mortality refers to deaths that could be prevented or averted through adequate prevention, healthcare and interventions. These deaths are often linked to factors such as a lack of access to quality healthcare, insufficient prevention and health awareness, a lack of vaccinations, misdiagnosed or untreated diseases, and inadequate healthcare systems. The work maps the incidence of preventable diseases in Slovakia in comparison with OECD countries. According to a published statistical report by the Eurostat agency, up to 11,000 inhabitants of Slovakia under the age of 75 die annually from so-called preventable diseases. Up to 32% are caused by diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and 16% are caused by stroke. However, diseases of the heart and blood vessels account for up to 52% of all deaths in Slovakia (1). Slovakia ranks 21st in treatable diseases. This does not indicate a good state of healthcare. The work also examines the occurrence of causes of preventable and curable diseases. The most common are cardiovascular diseases, tumors, and diseases of the respira-tory and digestive organs. In the case of preventable diseases, these are the same groups. Examples of preventable mortality may include deaths from infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS that could be prevented with ade-quate preventive measures, vaccination or available treatment. For non-HIV patients who are at high risk of HIV infection and willing to adhere to prescribed medications, PrEP is very effective. Among adherents, PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 90% (2). Another example would be deaths linked to unhealthy lifestyles, such as cardiovascular disease caused by smoking, an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity, which could be averted through prevention and lifestyle changes. Preventable mortality is an important area for health systems and health policies because it shows the possibilities of improving healthcare and reducing mor-tality through appropriate measures. Identifying the causes of preventable deaths can help create health programs and poli-cies that aim to improve population health and prevent unnec-essary loss of life.