Greece faces rising burden of chronic diseases, study finds

A new study titled ‘Policy Roadmaps for Acting Early on Non-Communicable Diseases: Greece’ reveals that while life expectancy in Greece has recovered to 80.8 years following the pandemic, the quality of those years is declining. After the age of 65, Greeks spend an average of only 8.8 years in good health, which is below the European Union average of 9.1 years.

The report highlights a significant burden of chronic diseases, noting that more than 40% of adults already suffer from a chronic condition. Among citizens over 65, one in two faces two or more simultaneous chronic conditions, representing some of the highest rates of multimorbidity in Europe.

Non-communicable diseases—specifically cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and kidney disease—account for 85% of the country’s total morbidity burden. Experts warn that an aging population and increasing multimorbidity will place further pressure on the National Health System. The study emphasizes that without early prevention and effective primary healthcare, the economic and social costs will continue to rise.