Free risk check · real data

What is a 42-year-old woman in Switzerland most likely to die from?

Move the controls. The answer comes from official mortality statistics for 37 countries in Europe and North America — and it surprises almost everyone.

Country

Age

Sex at birth

Official mortality statistics are published by sex at birth, which is why we ask.

Next 12 months

0.05%

1 in 1,845

Next 10 years

0.90%

1 in 112

Life expectancy

about 44 more years on average

Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

01Breast cancer15%
0.14% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.2%
02Suicide9.1%
0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.40%
03Other cancers5.3%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.3%
04Brain cancer4.6%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.44%
05Uterine & ovarian cancer4.6%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
06Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)4.3%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
07Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)3.7%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.37%
08Stroke3.6%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.0%

Show the other 34 causes50% together

09Lung cancer3.5%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.1%
10Colorectal cancer3.1%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
11Stomach cancer2.8%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.42%
12High blood pressure & other circulatory disease2.8%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 10%
13Heart attack & coronary heart disease2.4%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 8.4%
14Other mental health conditions2.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
15Leukaemia & lymphoma2.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
16Other causes2.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.7%
17Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)2.2%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
18Heart failure & other heart disease2.1%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 10%
19Accidental poisoning & overdose2.0%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
20Pancreatic cancer1.9%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
21Cervical cancer1.7%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
22Congenital conditions1.7%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.14%
23Road accidents1.5%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
24Bladder cancer1.4%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.58%
25Other digestive disease1.4%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.8%
26Alcohol use disorder1.3%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.14%
27Falls1.3%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.7%
28Drug use disorder1.3%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
29Pneumonia & flu1.2%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
30Liver cancer1.2%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.58%
31Other accidents0.95%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.51%
32Homicide0.76%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
33Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)0.74%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
34COPD & chronic lung disease0.73%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.1%
35Diabetes0.67%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
36Melanoma (skin cancer)0.62%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.31%
37Other lung disease0.39%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
38COVID-190.32%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
39Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.30%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
40Oesophageal cancer0.20%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.30%
41Drowning0.20%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.04%
42Kidney disease0.15%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%

Some of these risks are about mental health and substances. They are among the most preventable — if you or someone you love is struggling, call Die Dargebotene Hand on 143 (a small charge per call) — confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 42-year-old woman in Switzerland, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Switzerland (2023), Eurostat. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.

Full page with comparisons: women aged 40–44 in Switzerland

How long people like this live: life expectancy.

What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 42-year-old woman in Switzerland

Blood pressure check
every year from 40 (every 3 years before)
Cervical screening (HPV test)
every 5 years, ages 30–65 (from 25 in some countries)
Blood sugar test (diabetes)
every 3 years from 35

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Bowel cancer in the family — earlier bowel check
often a colonoscopy every 5 years from 40 (or 10 years before your relative's age at diagnosis, if earlier) · ask your doctor
Early heart attack or stroke in the family — cholesterol & heart-risk check
now, whatever your age — then as advised · ask your doctor
Breast or ovarian cancer in the family — risk check and genetic counselling
ask your doctor once — you may be offered earlier mammograms (often yearly from 40) or a gene test

Based on Swiss federal insurance rules (KLV), cantonal programmes and European guidelines. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Make it personal

Do you smoke?

We never store your answer with anything that identifies you — it stays on this device until you create an account, then carries over. Educational, not medical advice.