Term: Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL)

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Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2009-10-20

Definition:

An indicator of premature mortality (death before age 75), which gives greater weight to causes of death occurring at a younger age than to those at later ages. This measure is calculated by subtracting the actual age of death from 75, dividing the total potential years of life lost by the total population under age 75, and then presented as "years lost per thousand people".

By emphasizing the loss of life at an early age, PYLL focuses attention on the need to deal with the major causes of such early deaths - cancer, accidents and cardiovascular disease - in order to improve health status. For example, the death of a 50-year old contributes "1 death" to premature mortality, but "25 years" to PYLL; whereas the death of a 70-year old also contributes "1 death" to premature mortality, but only "5 years" to PYLL. PYLL has been found to vary with characteristics such as sex, socio-economic status and place of residence.

NOTE : some "older" studies use age 70 for calculating years of life lost.

Related concepts 

• Health Status Indicators
• MCHP SAS Macros

Related terms 

• Health Status Series
• Mortality
• Premature Mortality
• Premature Mortality Rate (PMR)
• Standardized Mortality / Morbidity Ratio (SMR)

References 

• Brownell M, Lix L, Ekuma O, Derksen S, Dehaney S, Bond R, Fransoo R, MacWilliam L, Bodnarchuk J. Why is the Health Status of Some Manitobans Not Improving? The Widening Gap in the Health Status of Manitobans. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Full Report] [Summary] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, Burland E, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C. Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas 2009. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Full Report] [Summary] [Data extras] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Prior H, Burchill C, Chateau D, Walld R. Sex Differences in Health Status, Health Care Use, and Quality of Care: A Population-Based Analysis for Manitoba's Regional Health Authorities. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2005. [Full Report] [Summary] [Data extras] (View)
• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, McKeen N, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, De Coster C, Ekuma O, Prior H, Chateau D, Robinson R, Metge C. Patterns of Regional Mental Illness Disorder Diagnoses and Service Use in Manitoba: A Population-Based Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2004. [Full Report] [Summary] [Data extras] (View)
• Martens PJ, Bond R, Jebamani L, Burchill C, Roos NP, Derksen S, Beaulieu M, Steinbach C, MacWilliam L, Walld R, Dik N, Sanderson D, Health Information and Research Committee AoMC, Tanner-Spence M, Leader A, Elias B, O'Neil J. The Health and Health Care Use of Registered First Nations People Living in Manitoba: A Population-Based Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2002. [Full Report] [Summary] [Data extras] (View)
• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, Black C, Dik N, MacWilliam L, Derksen S, Walld R, Steinbach C, Dahl M. The Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas: Population-Based Comparison of Health and Health Care Use. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Full Report] [Summary] [Data extras] (View)
• Shanahan M, Gousseau C. Interprovincial Comparisons of Health Care Expenditures. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1997. [Full Report] [Summary] (View)

Term used in 

• Finlayson GS, Forget E, Ekuma O, Derksen S, Bond R, Martens P, De Coster C. Allocating Funds for Healthcare in Manitoba Regional Health Authorities: A First Step--Population-Based Funding. Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2007. [Full Report] [Summary] (View)
• Metge C, Chateau D, Prior H, Soodeen R, De Coster C, Barre L. Composite Measures/Indices of Health and Health System Performance. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Full Report] [Summary] (View)