Free risk check · real data

What is a 42-year-old woman in Spain 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

0.06%

1 in 1,632

Next 10 years

0.99%

1 in 102

Life expectancy

about 45 more years on average

Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

01Breast cancer15%
0.15% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
02Lung cancer6.9%
0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
03Uterine & ovarian cancer6.4%
0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
04Suicide5.6%
0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.26%
05Other cancers5.5%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.4%
06Colorectal cancer5.1%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.7%
07Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)3.9%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
08Heart failure & other heart disease3.6%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 12%

Show the other 39 causes48% together

09Stroke3.5%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.3%
10Heart attack & coronary heart disease3.4%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
11Brain cancer3.3%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.55%
12Other digestive disease2.9%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.9%
13High blood pressure & other circulatory disease2.7%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.8%
14Stomach cancer2.7%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.79%
15Pancreatic cancer2.7%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
16Other causes2.4%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.1%
17Leukaemia & lymphoma2.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
18Cervical cancer2.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.25%
19Other lung disease2.0%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.1%
20Accidental poisoning & overdose1.8%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
21Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)1.7%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.36%
22Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.7%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
23Pneumonia & flu1.4%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
24Other accidents1.2%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
25Road accidents1.2%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
26Liver cancer0.95%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.65%
27Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.81%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.34%
28Melanoma (skin cancer)0.78%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.18%
29Kidney cancer0.72%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.31%
30Congenital conditions0.68%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
31COPD & chronic lung disease0.63%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
32COVID-190.62%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
33Homicide0.52%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
34Falls0.48%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.93%
35Diabetes0.48%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
36Kidney disease0.46%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
37Other mental health conditions0.35%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.12%
38Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.30%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.04%
39Bladder cancer0.29%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.43%
40Oesophageal cancer0.24%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
41Drowning0.21%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
42Dementia & Alzheimer's0.16%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 13%
43Complications around birth0.10%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
44Pregnancy & childbirth0.08%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
45Alcohol use disorder0.07%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
46Drug use disorder0.05%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
47Parkinson's disease0.04%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%

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 024, the suicide prevention line — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 42-year-old woman in Spain, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Spain (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 Spain

How long people like this live: life expectancy.

What to do about it

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

Blood pressure check
every year from 40 (every 3 years before)
Cervical screening (HPV test)
every 5 years, ages 35–65 (HPV test)
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 the Spanish National Health System screening programmes (regions vary) 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.