Report looks at health in France

A REPORT has flagged up France’s successes and failures in public health.

The study by the Haut Conseil de la Santé Publique, a body monitoring public health, cites among successes Europe’s highest life expectancy for women and second-lowest place for the numbers of people injured in road accidents (however, just eighth-lowest for deaths).

Other French strengths include fertility rates (third in Europe) and success with prevention and treatment of cardio-vascular illness.

On the negative side, France is among countries with the most serious accidents at work (some countries, like Spain and Portugal do even worse, but, eg. Britain and Nordic countries are better).

France also has a high suicide rate and high rates of consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.

The first such report comparing France to its neighbours, the study aims to help define what the government’s priorities should be in public health and the organisation of the health service.

The full report can be found (in French) here: Public health report

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