Free risk check · real data

What is a 62-year-old woman in Iceland 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

0.49%

1 in 203

Next 10 years

7.0%

1 in 14

Life expectancy

about 24 more years on average

Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

01Lung cancer15%
1.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.3%
02Heart attack & coronary heart disease6.5%
0.45% chance over 10 years · lifetime 11%
03COPD & chronic lung disease6.1%
0.43% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.9%
04Uterine & ovarian cancer5.9%
0.41% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
05Breast cancer5.8%
0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.2%
06Colorectal cancer5.6%
0.39% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
07Dementia & Alzheimer's4.9%
0.34% chance over 10 years · lifetime 18%
08Other cancers4.5%
0.31% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%

Show the other 33 causes45% together

09High blood pressure & other circulatory disease3.7%
0.26% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.6%
10Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)3.7%
0.26% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
11Heart failure & other heart disease3.6%
0.25% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.5%
12Leukaemia & lymphoma3.2%
0.22% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
13Brain cancer2.9%
0.20% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.60%
14Stroke2.9%
0.20% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.5%
15Pancreatic cancer2.3%
0.16% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
16Other digestive disease2.2%
0.15% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.2%
17Other causes1.8%
0.12% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.8%
18Diabetes1.8%
0.12% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
19Liver cancer1.5%
0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.47%
20Accidental poisoning & overdose1.5%
0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.12%
21Suicide1.5%
0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.17%
22Stomach cancer1.4%
0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.45%
23Parkinson's disease1.2%
0.09% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
24Cervical cancer1.1%
0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.32%
25Kidney cancer1.1%
0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.63%
26Bladder cancer0.95%
0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.26%
27Other accidents0.81%
0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
28Melanoma (skin cancer)0.70%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.40%
29Falls0.70%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.5%
30Pneumonia & flu0.69%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.9%
31Other lung disease0.68%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.75%
32Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.68%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.18%
33Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)0.55%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.76%
34Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.54%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.31%
35Kidney disease0.42%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
36Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.41%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.37%
37Oesophageal cancer0.27%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.22%
38Road accidents0.27%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
39COVID-190.27%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.69%
40Alcohol use disorder0.14%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
41Other mental health conditions0.13%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.23%

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 the Red Cross helpline on 1717 — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 62-year-old woman in Iceland, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Iceland (2018, 2019 and 2023), Eurostat. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.

Full page with comparisons: women aged 60–64 in Iceland

How long people like this live: life expectancy.

What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 62-year-old woman in Iceland

Blood pressure check
every year from 40 (every 3 years before)
Bowel cancer screening (stool test)
no national programme — ask your doctor about a stool test every 2 years at 50–74 (European guidelines)
Breast cancer screening (mammogram)
every 2 years at 40–69, every 3 years at 70–74 — you're invited
Cervical screening (HPV test)
HPV test every 5 years at 30–59, a last one at 60–64 — you're invited
Flu vaccine
every autumn — from 60 or 65, depending on your country
Cholesterol & heart-risk check
from 40 (men) / 50 (women), then as your doctor advises
Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal)
from 60 or 65, depending on your country — ask your doctor
Blood sugar test (diabetes)
every 3 years from 35

If you smoke or used to:

Lung cancer screening (low-dose CT)
if you smoke or smoked heavily, ages 50–74 — ask whether it's offered

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
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 Iceland's national screening invitations 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.