Health at a Glance: Europe 2020
State of Health in the EU Cycle
The 2020 edition of Health at a Glance: Europe focuses on the impact of the COVID‑19 crisis. Chapter 1 provides an initial assessment of the resilience of European health systems to the COVID-19 pandemic and their ability to contain and respond to the worst pandemic in the past century. Chapter 2 reviews the huge health and welfare burden of air pollution as another major public health issue in European countries, and highlights the need for sustained efforts to reduce air pollution to mitigate its impact on health and mortality. The five other chapters provide an overview of key indicators of health and health systems across the 27 EU member states, 5 EU candidate countries, 3 European Free Trade Association countries and the United Kingdom. Health at a Glance: Europe is the first step in the State of Health in the EU cycle.
Smoking among adults
Tobacco consumption is the largest avoidable behavioural risk factor to health in the European Union and the most significant cause of premature death across EU countries, accounting for about 700 000 deaths per year. Around half of smokers die prematurely, dying 14 years earlier on average (European Commission, 2020). It is a major risk factor for at least two of the leading causes of mortality – circulatory diseases and cancer – and an important risk factor for many severe chronic respiratory diseases.