Avoidable deaths in Italian metropolitan cities are on the rise, with a significant disparity between men and women. According to an Istat focus on health conditions and healthcare provision in metropolitan cities, avoidable deaths for men are almost double those for women. The cities of southern Italy, in particular Naples, Messina and Palermo, present the most critical values.
Data Analysis and Impacts of the Pandemic
Istat analyzed data from the three-year period 2007-2009 and 2017-2019, as well as from 2020 and 2021, to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the healthcare context. The 14 metropolitan cities examined are Rome, Turin, Milan, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Bari, Naples, Reggio Calabria, Palermo, Catania, Messina and Cagliari. In 2021, 20 avoidable deaths were recorded per 10,000 inhabitants, an increase of 16.6% compared to the three-year period 2017-2019.
Gender Disparity and Preventable Mortality
The data shows a notable difference between the male and female population. In 2021, the preventable death rate for men was 26.8 per 10,000 population, compared to 14.7 per 10,000 population for women. Avoidable deaths include those deaths that could be prevented or reduced through adequate healthcare, healthy lifestyles and the reduction of environmental risk factors.
The growth in preventable mortality has been significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Deaths attributable to the virus amounted to 3.5 per 10,000 inhabitants in 2021 and 3.3 in 2020. Metropolitan cities in the South, such as Naples, record the highest values of avoidable mortality.
Mortality from Specific Causes
In 2021, Naples reached the highest cancer mortality rate, with 15.5 deaths per 10,000 inhabitants, followed by Catania. As regards diseases of the circulatory system, Messina and Naples have recorded almost 8 deaths per 10,000 inhabitants.
Healthcare Offer
In Italy, as of January 1, 2021, there were 1,051 hospitalization facilities (public and accredited private) with 230,992 beds, corresponding to a ratio of 3.9 beds per thousand inhabitants. These beds are concentrated in the capital municipalities of metropolitan cities, with a ratio of 7.2 per thousand inhabitants.
