Health and well-being in the EU: Investing where it matters
Publication Date/Time
2025-09-15T10:00:00+00:00
Country
Europe
A data-driven look at prevention spending, disease burden and access
to care across the EU
Good health is a personal goal but also the foundation of a resilient
society. Across the EU, health systems do more than treat illness –
they aim to help people live longer, better lives. In recent years,
this goal has gained momentum, with initiatives like Europe’s
beating cancer plan
[https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/european-health-union/cancer-plan-europe_en],
the European health union
[https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/european-health-union_en] and
the European health data space
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/datastories/pioneering-eus-sector-specific-data-spaces-european-health-data-space]
pushing for stronger prevention, earlier diagnoses and better access
to care across Member States.

But as Europe’s healthcare systems face new pressures, it is worth
asking: are we putting our resources where they matter the most? How
is investment distributed between preventive and curative care? What
are the leading causes of premature deaths in the EU, and to what
extent might some of them be prevented through timely care or
healthier lifestyles? Finally, why do some people still struggle to
access care?

Using open data, this story explores these questions, offering
insights into where better alignment between spending, needs and
outcomes could lead to lasting improvements.

 

_HOW ARE HEALTHCARE FUNDS USED?_

Healthcare systems do not just treat illness – they also play a key
role in keeping people healthy in the first place. Preventive care,
including vaccinations, screenings and health education, can reduce
the burden of disease, improve quality of life and help avoid costly
treatments. Yet, in systems under pressure from ageing populations,
chronic diseases and rising costs, prevention often competes with more
immediate needs like hospital and emergency care.

Open data on healthcare spending
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250204-1#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20preventive%20healthcare%20,of%20the%20total%20healthcare%20expenditure] sheds
light on how countries distribute public health budgets across a mix
of services that include curative treatment, rehabilitation, long-term
care, prevention and other areas.

As shown in Figure 1, the share of spending on prevention remained
stable throughout much of the last decade, with an increase after 2020
due to COVID-19 response measures.

In 2022, preventive services accounted for 5.5 % of the EU’s total
healthcare expenditure. The largest share went to curative and
rehabilitative care (51.9 %), followed by medical goods like
pharmaceuticals (17.8 %) and long-term care (16.2 %). While this
general pattern holds across all Member States, spending on prevention
ranges from 8 % in Germany to 1–2 % in countries like Poland,
Slovakia (2 %) and Malta (1 %).

These figures do not in themselves indicate what the ‘right’ level
of prevention spending should be, as that depends on many factors,
including the effectiveness of interventions, national priorities and
population needs. Still, understanding how resources are allocated
offers a starting point for further exploration. Looking at the
leading causes of premature death across the EU may help identify
where preventive care might have the biggest impact.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Section%201%20-%20Final-min.png]
FIGURE 1: EU SPENDING ON OVERALL HEALTHCARE AND PREVENTIVE CARE
(2022)

_Source:_ Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/hlth_sha11_hc__custom_11404643/bookmark/table?lang=en&bookmarkId=acf54592-6568-4512-95f2-cdcd712571a3], data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/suoymeg8xid1npjobxk9kg?locale=en].

 

_WHAT ARE THE LEADING CAUSES OF EARLY DEATH IN THE EU?_

In 2022, 1.6 million people in the EU died before reaching the age
of 75
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Preventable_and_treatable_mortality_statistics].
Understanding the causes behind these early deaths helps identify
where public health efforts – such as prevention and timely
treatment – could make the greatest difference.

Figure 2 shows the leading causes of death across the EU in 2022,
grouped into three categories: PREVENTABLE, TREATABLE or
UNAVOIDABLE. Preventable and treatable causes together make up the
category of AVOIDABLE DEATHS, referring to those that could have been
averted either through effective public health measures or timely
healthcare interventions.

Only one third (33 %) of deaths before age 75 resulted from causes
considered unavoidable. In contrast, 44 % were linked to preventable
causes – often associated with modifiable risk factors such as
smoking, alcohol use or environmental exposure. Another 23 % stemmed
from causes that are considered treatable, meaning they could have
potentially been avoided through timely and effective healthcare.

The leading avoidable cause of death, accounting for 9.4 % of all
deaths below age 75, was ischaemic heart disease – a condition
where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the heart, often leading
to heart attacks. Because this condition is considered both
preventable and treatable, Eurostat allocates it equally to both
categories. Other leading causes include lung cancer (8.2 %, mostly
preventable), COVID-19 (4.3 %) and colorectal cancer (3.5 %).

The high share of deaths due to avoidable causes underscores the
importance of strengthening public health strategies. Strengthening
public health programmes and early intervention can have a measurable
impact on the EU’s overall health outcomes.

Yet, offering services is only part of the solution. To make
healthcare systems more effective and inclusive, we must also
understand how people interact with them – and why, in some cases,
they do not. In the next section, we explore the barriers that prevent
individuals from accessing the care they need.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Section%202%20-%20Final-min_0.png]
FIGURE 2: PREVENTABLE, TREATABLE AND UNAVOIDABLE CAUSES OF DEATH IN
THE EU FOR PEOPLE AGED UNDER 75

_Source:_ Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/HLTH_CD_ASDR2__custom_7230661/bookmark/table?lang=en&bookmarkId=92306057-8219-4299-9974-ebc5ead5c255], data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/vl1brcxy3uid3ecuu4d21g?locale=en].

 

_WHY DO PEOPLE NOT OBTAIN MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS/TREATMENT?_

Even when healthcare systems are in place and effective treatments
exist, many people across the EU still face unmet health needs.
Whether due to cost, distance, long waiting times or personal
hesitation, these missed opportunities can allow manageable health
conditions to worsen – undermining both individual well-being and
broader public health goals.

Open data from 2024 on self-reported unmet needs for medical care
provides insight into the real-life barriers people encounter. These
barriers are not just about the availability of services, but also
about the accessibility and affordability of services and the trust
people place in the system.

At the EU level, 3.8 % of people aged 16 or over reported that they
needed a medical examination or treatment in the previous 12 months
but did not receive it
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Unmet_health_care_needs_statistics].
The most commonly cited reasons were LONG WAITING TIMES
(1.4 percentage points, or slightly more than one third of all cases
of unmet medical needs), HIGH COSTS (1 percentage point, or slightly
more than 25 % of all cases of unmet medical needs) or HOPING THE
ISSUE WOULD RESOLVE ON ITS OWN (0.4 percentage point, or slightly
over 10 % of all cases of unmet medical needs). These factors vary
widely across age groups, income levels and – as shown in
Figure 3 – countries.

Understanding these barriers is essential for building more inclusive,
patient-centred healthcare systems. Identifying not just who is left
out, but why, allows policymakers at all levels to develop targeted
solutions that improve access, reduce inequality and ensure timely
care for all.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Section%203%20-%20Final-min_0.png]
FIGURE 3: REASONS FOR UNMET HEALTH NEEDS ACROSS THE EU FOR PEOPLE
AGED 16 YEARS OR OVER (2024)

_Source:_ Eurostat
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/product/page/hlth_silc_14], data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/1ctglz3oplhhm3bhbbvqw?locale=en]

 

_CONCLUSION_

Health outcomes across Europe are shaped not only by the availability
of care, but also by how healthcare systems allocate resources and
respond to real-world barriers. This data story examined three
dimensions of public health in the EU: the distribution of healthcare
spending, the leading causes of avoidable mortality and the factors
that contribute to unmet medical needs.

The data highlights possible discrepancies. Preventive care continues
to account for a small share of healthcare budgets, while a large
proportion of deaths under 75 result from causes that could be
prevented or treated. In parallel, barriers such as cost, distance and
waiting times persist across countries, affecting access to timely
care – especially for those in vulnerable situations.

These findings offer insight into how health systems function in
practice and where mismatches may exist between investment, outcomes
and access. Open data enables such patterns to be identified and
compared – supporting more informed decision-making at both the
national and EU levels.

 

