Lithuania sees rising chronic illness, falling death rates
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
From 2021 to 2025, doctors in Lithuania diagnosed more illnesses in people age 65 and older, but deaths from those illnesses decreased.
The Hygiene Institute reported increases in diagnoses of cardiovascular, endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases. The largest increase in diagnoses occurred with endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases, rising by 35.5 percent overall and by 47.5 percent among older men. Despite the higher number of diagnoses, mortality rates fell across major disease groups.
Deaths from cardiovascular disease decreased by 22.7 percent during the same period. Mortality from external causes also decreased, falling by 12.1 percent, while deaths from malignant neoplasms declined by 2.1 percent. Health differences appeared based on location, with rural residents experiencing a 3.2 percent increase in cardiovascular disease diagnoses compared to 1.6 percent in cities. Jonavos, Raseinių, and Varėna districts recorded the most cardiovascular disease diagnoses, while Neringa, Vilnius district, and Klaipėda district saw the fewest.
Health officials emphasize the need to strengthen prevention efforts and ensure adequate disease control, especially for rural residents and older men.
