Key Points

• In 2023, 57,472 deaths were recorded among residents of Hauts-de-France, representing a standardized rate of 934 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. This year saw a decrease of 60 all-cause deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in the region compared to 2022, with more than half of this decline driven by the drop in deaths due to COVID-19.
• Male mortality remains higher than female mortality (a standardized mortality rate of 1,218 per 100,000 men compared to 731 deaths per 100,000 women).
• The region stood out for having standardized mortality rates by department that were significantly higher than the national average for the leading causes of death, with the exception of mental and behavioral disorders.
• Cancers and diseases of the circulatory system were the two leading causes of death in the Hauts-de-France region as well as in each of its departments in 2023. While mortality from tumors remained stable, mortality from circulatory system diseases saw a slight decrease compared to 2022. It is necessary to continue preventing the risk factors for these diseases (tobacco, alcohol, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.), which represent a heavy burden on public health.
• In 2023, respiratory diseases (excluding COVID-19) were the third leading cause of death in Hauts-de-France, underscoring the importance of prevention (vaccination against influenza or pneumonia, reducing smoking, improving air quality, etc.).
• As the fourth leading cause of death in the region, external causes—accidents in daily life, suicides, and accidental falls—have a significant impact on mortality, especially among those under 65, where they are even the second leading cause of death, just behind tumors.
• Finally, COVID-19 continues to decline and becomes the 11th leading cause of death in the region by 2023.