Cancer and Heart Disease Continue to Top Leading Causes of Death in Israel, With Gender Disparities and Infectious Disease Mortality Rates on the Rise

In 2022, cancer and heart disease were the top two leading causes of death in Israel for both men and women. The report noted that cancer claimed the lives of 11,650 individuals in the country this year, with specific types of cancer varying between the sexes. Among men, trachea, bronchi, and lung cancer were most prevalent, while breast cancer was the most common among women.

The report also highlighted the impact of the corona epidemic as the third leading cause of death between 2020-2022. Additionally, there has been an increase in mortality rates from infectious diseases in Israel over the last decade, resulting in over 2,000 deaths each year from 2020-2022. On the other hand, there has been a significant decrease in mortality rates from ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases over the past 40 years.

Examining gender disparities, the report found that the death rate for all causes was 1.5 times higher among men compared to women in 2022. Furthermore, Israel ranked eighth in mortality from all causes among OECD countries. While mortality rates from leading causes like cancer and heart disease were lower than in most OECD countries, Israel had higher mortality rates from infectious diseases. The report also highlighted differences in cancer mortality rates between men and women, with men having lower rates of cancer-related deaths compared to most OECD countries.

Overall, this report provides valuable insights into the distribution of leading causes of death in Israel and highlights trends in mortality rates and gender disparities.