Are the French in good health? Alcohol, tobacco, mental health, sleep… A large-scale survey, presented on Thursday, provides mixed results. The majority of people say they are doing well, but this observation masks very different realities, particularly depending on social class.
– A vast photograph –
For the past thirty years, the French public health agency, Santé publique France, has regularly updated a "barometer" of the health of the French population. The current edition was compiled in 2024 from approximately 35,000 questionnaires completed by people aged 18-79.
"This picture has never been so accurate," said Yann Le Strat, scientific director of Public Health France, at a press conference, referring to both "encouraging news" and "major challenges."
The main finding of this barometer is that social inequalities significantly impact the health situation of the French. This is evidenced by the figure for the proportion of people who consider themselves to be in good health: two out of three generally, but this figure drops to only half among those experiencing financial difficulties.
Most of the time, health problems – diabetes, hypertension… – are therefore more significant for the poorest and least educated.
In rare cases, such as excessive alcohol consumption and a sedentary lifestyle, the situation is, on the other hand, unfavorable for privileged people.
– Smoking, the good news –
An important positive point, according to Mr. Le Strat, is the decline in smoking. This is not surprising, as the agency had already reported on it in November, but fewer than one in five people surveyed smoke daily.
This is the first decline since the Covid-19 crisis, which had seen a rebound in the trend, but not everyone is equally affected by the situation. Daily tobacco consumption rises to 30% among people experiencing financial difficulties.
However, "the fight against smoking (...) has made it possible to reduce the number of smokers by 4 million in ten years," says Caroline Semaille, Director General of Public Health France, in the introduction to the barometer.
– Climate and mental health are a cause for concern –
"The direct impacts of climate are now public health issues in their own right," Mr. Le Strat points out.
Four out of five French people say they have experienced an "extreme" weather event, which mainly includes heat waves. And 401% of those surveyed say they suffered "physically" from these events.
As for mental health, declared a major national cause this year and extended to 2026 by the government, the subject remains crucial.
In 2024, "161% of adults experienced a major depressive episode (and) one in 20 adults had suicidal thoughts," explains Jean-Baptiste Richard, head of surveys at Public Health France. Here again, inequalities are marked, with a higher proportion among women, young people, and those experiencing financial difficulties.
But men are at a disadvantage in one respect. Among depressed men, a much higher proportion (53.9%) report not receiving therapeutic support than among women (37.9%).
An important factor for mental health, the sleep of the French is often disrupted. They sleep about seven and a half hours a night – within the recommended range – but a third say they suffer from insomnia, particularly women over 50.
– Knowledge to be improved –
On major health issues, the French remain insufficiently informed.
Certainly, a large number – around 80% – of those surveyed say they are in favor of vaccination. But the decline is striking compared to the early 2000s – 90% –, a general trend regardless of social level.
This indicator also encompasses different realities depending on the vaccine. The Covid-19 vaccine remains the subject of unparalleled distrust, with a quarter of people hesitant, even though the vaccines are considered safe and effective by health authorities based on data from billions of vaccinations worldwide.
As for antibiotic resistance, the subject remains poorly understood by many French people. Two out of five say they have never heard of this issue, which nevertheless constitutes a major public health challenge worldwide.
The same proportion are unaware that antibiotics are ineffective against the flu, a worrying figure in a context where health authorities have long promoted responsible use of these drugs.
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