According to the report, released on Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is made up of 38 member countries and provides data on the health of the population and the performance of the sector, Brazil has one of the highest mortality rates among member countries, candidates for accession and key partners. With 1,413 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, the Portuguese-speaking country ranks second only to Bulgaria.
The main causes contributing to this high rate in Brazil are neoplasms (cancer), diseases of the circulatory system (strokes, heart failure, among others), respiratory diseases (pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, among others), external causes (accidents, suicide) and others.
Brazil, along with South Africa, is identified in the study as having the highest rate of age-standardised avoidable mortality, exceeding 400 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, more than double the OECD average of 222 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. These alarming figures reflect the prevalence of infectious diseases and injuries, as well as chronic conditions associated with risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption.
One of the causes mentioned in the document is obesity, with Brazil registering one of the highest increases in obesity rates between 2003 and 2023, surpassing an increase of 10 percentage points. This trend puts the inhabitants of the Portuguese-speaking country at an increasing risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as “type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, certain forms of cancer and dementia”.
The obesity rate is correlated with socio-economic issues, putting people on lower incomes “at greater risk – partly due to exposure to obesogenic environments that encourage the consumption of energy-dense foods, trans fats and saturated fats, and sedentary lifestyles”.
As for average life expectancy, the report points out that South Africa has the lowest among the countries analysed, at 66.1 years. Brazil, meanwhile, although with a higher rate of 75.8 years, is around six years below the OECD average of 81.1 years.
In terms of health habits, Brazilian men smoke and drink more, are heavier and do less physical activity, which underpins the higher male mortality rate. The study reveals that, unlike men, Brazilian women maintain healthier habits.
The gender gap is evident in both countries. As in Brazil, South African women live about 6 years longer than men, a phenomenon the organisation largely attributes to behavioural risk factors that are more pronounced in men.
In terms of health habits, Brazilian men smoke and drink more, are heavier and do less physical activity, which underpins the higher male mortality rate. The study reveals that, unlike men, Brazilian women maintain healthier habits.
The report also emphasises that the functioning of the health systems in Brazil and South Africa is strongly dependent on the private sector, indicating problems of access and equity.
In South Africa, 45% of total health expenditure is covered by voluntary health insurance, and in Brazil, 27%, much higher than the OECD average (5%), where “direct payments financed just under a fifth of all health expenditure in 2023”. The demographic analysis included in the study points to a challenge for Brazil’s future.
Brazil spends less than 0.5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on long-term care, a figure well below the OECD average (1.8%). However, the country, whose proportion of the population aged 65 and over was slightly above the OECD average in 2023, faces a rapidly ageing population, with almost 22% of people aged 65 and over by 2050.
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