Being poor in Malta is bad for your health, according to EU figures pointing to substantially better levels of well-being among the highest earners.

The figures published in the new European Commission State of Health Report show that 86 per cent of those in the highest income group reported themselves to be in good health in 2015, compared to only 55 per cent in the lowest income group.

This disparity was among the widest in the EU. It was the first time since 2010 that the state of health among the poorest in Malta fell below the EU average.

However, according to the report, income does not pose much of a barrier to accessing healthcare: just 2.2 per cent of low earners reported having unmet health needs, compared to 0.1 per cent of those at the top of the scale.

Read: 'Social inequality bad for our health'

As in other countries, the report notes, vulnerable groups such as irregular migrants may still face impediments to using health services due to lack of information, fear, and language or cultural barriers.

High life expectancy and overall health levels

Life expectancy at birth in Malta was 81.9 years in 2015, up from 78.4 years in 2000 and above the EU average of 80.6 years.

Not only do Maltese men and women live longer, they also enjoy close to 90 per cent of their lifespan in good health, longer than in any other EU country, according to the report.

The increase in life expectancy was mainly due to a reduction of premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases, although these remain the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Not only do Maltese men and women live longer, they also enjoy close to 90 per cent of their lifespan in good health, longer than in any other EU country


Cancers, meanwhile, account for a quarter of all deaths in Malta, but the report notes “remarkable improvements in survival” for breast cancer, melanoma and other cancers since the early 2000s.

Maltese men and women aged 65 and over can expect to live 13.4 years and 14.0 years respectively of their remaining life free of disability, the second highest among EU countries.

The report nevertheless carries a warning: risk factors such as obesity and alcohol consumption have continued to increase in recent years, and may well have a negative impact on healthy life expectancy in the future.

Malta’s health system fares well in the assessment, which notes that amenable mortality - deaths which could be prevented with timely and effective treatment - have dropped rapidly, while new cancer screening and awareness programmes have contributed to fewer deaths.

Health spending has increased steadily since 2005, and in 2015, Malta spent €2,255 per capita on health care, compared to the EU average of €2,797.

Malta is among the top six EU countries with the highest private spending on health, amounting to 31% of total health expenditure in 2015, the majority of which is paid out of pocket.

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