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What are women aged 70–74 in Canada most likely to die from?

For a 72-year-old woman in Canada, the most likely causes of death over the next 10 years are lung cancer, dementia & Alzheimer's and heart attack & coronary heart disease — together 27% of the risk. The chance of dying in the next 12 months is 1.4% (1 in 73); over 10 years it is 21%.

Next 12 months
1.4%
1 in 73
Next 10 years
21%
about 2 in 10
Life expectancy
89
about 17 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Lung cancer9.3%
    2.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.2%
  2. 02Dementia & Alzheimer's9.1%
    2.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 19%
  3. 03Heart attack & coronary heart disease8.8%
    1.9% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.7%
  4. 04COPD & chronic lung disease6.1%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.1%
  5. 05Stroke4.8%
    1.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.6%
  6. 06Heart failure & other heart disease4.8%
    1.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 8.0%
  7. 07Other cancers4.6%
    0.99% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.5%
  8. 08Other digestive disease3.9%
    0.84% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.9%
  9. 09Breast cancer3.8%
    0.82% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  10. 10Other causes3.8%
    0.81% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.1%
Show the other 36 causes41% together
  1. 11High blood pressure & other circulatory disease3.5%
    0.74% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.2%
  2. 12Uterine & ovarian cancer3.0%
    0.65% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  3. 13Colorectal cancer3.0%
    0.65% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  4. 14Leukaemia & lymphoma3.0%
    0.64% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  5. 15Pancreatic cancer2.6%
    0.57% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  6. 16Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)2.6%
    0.55% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  7. 17Falls2.3%
    0.50% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.9%
  8. 18Other lung disease2.3%
    0.49% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
  9. 19Diabetes2.2%
    0.48% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  10. 20Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.9%
    0.41% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.0%
  11. 21Pneumonia & flu1.9%
    0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.8%
  12. 22COVID-191.8%
    0.39% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.4%
  13. 23Kidney disease1.6%
    0.34% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  14. 24Parkinson's disease1.3%
    0.28% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%
  15. 25Liver cancer1.2%
    0.26% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.64%
  16. 26Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)1.1%
    0.24% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.45%
  17. 27Brain cancer0.75%
    0.16% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.32%
  18. 28Other accidents0.64%
    0.14% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.94%
  19. 29Stomach cancer0.53%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
  20. 30Bladder cancer0.52%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.45%
  21. 31Kidney cancer0.50%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.35%
  22. 32Oesophageal cancer0.50%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.23%
  23. 33Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.48%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.27%
  24. 34Melanoma (skin cancer)0.38%
    0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.22%
  25. 35Road accidents0.21%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
  26. 36Other mental health conditions0.20%
    0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.21%
  27. 37Cervical cancer0.20%
    0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
  28. 38Suicide0.15%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
  29. 39Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.14%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
  30. 40Alcohol use disorder0.12%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  31. 41Congenital conditions0.11%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  32. 42Accidental poisoning & overdose0.10%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  33. 43Drowning0.03%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.01%
  34. 44Homicide0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.01%
  35. 45Drug use disorder<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  36. 46Complications around birth<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%

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 or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 72-year-old woman in Canada, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Canada (2023–2024), Statistics Canada. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

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What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 72-year-old woman in Canada

If you smoke or used to:

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Based on the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and NACI. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Compared with

Same age in other countries

Questions

What is the most common cause of death for women aged 70–74 in Canada?
Lung cancer: 9.3% of the risk of dying over the next 10 years for a 72-year-old woman in Canada, followed by dementia & Alzheimer's and heart attack & coronary heart disease.
What is the chance that a 72-year-old woman in Canada dies in the next year?
1.4% (1 in 73). Over the next 10 years it is 21% (about 2 in 10).
How long can a 72-year-old woman in Canada expect to live?
On average, to about 89 — around 17 more years, based on Canada's current death rates.
Which check-ups are recommended for a 72-year-old woman in Canada?
Blood pressure check; Bowel cancer screening (stool test); Breast cancer screening (mammogram); Flu vaccine; Cholesterol & heart-risk check; Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal); Blood sugar test (diabetes); Shingles vaccine. Based on the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and NACI.
Can these risks be lowered?
Many of them, yes. Smoking, alcohol, activity and weight change these numbers a lot, and screening finds several cancers early. Odainn's personal numbers adjust the statistics for your own habits and rank the changes that give you the most years back. This is educational information, not medical advice.

Computed by Odainn from official Statistics Canada mortality statistics for Canada (2023–2024) — how we calculate. Educational, not medical advice.