Sustainability and Health

According to the WHO country profile for Iceland, their health statistics remain in good standing in comparison to the WHO region. Overall, Iceland's health has been improving since independence in the mid 1900s and is currently highly rated in most health standards. Despite this, the leading causes of death among both males and females are currently cardiovascular diseases which account for 33% of deaths. Second to cardiovascular diseases is cancer which accounts for 30% of deaths. These are both non-communicable diseases which means prevention and treatment are not as simple as communicable diseases because causes vary. The Icelandic Cancer Society is working to research, inform, and prevent cancer in Iceland. Tobacco use, especially among women is a leading cause of cancer (WHO). Other factors are also to blame for these deaths which are currently being researched more by the Icelandic Cancer Society.

Data from the WHO
This chart shows the proportional mortality in percent of different causes in Iceland