| ABOUT THE INDICATOR YPLL is a statistical measure of premature death and potential years of life
lost. In previous reports, YPLL considered any death under the age of 65 to be
premature. Current YPLL statistics represent deaths among persons under 75 years
of age, in order to account for the increase in life expectancy among U.S.
residents.
Ranking the various causes of death by YPLL may highlight dissimilarities
that are often obscured through other mortality measures. YPLL rankings are also
useful in identifying preventable causes of premature mortality.
OBSERVATIONS
Cancer was the leading cause of premature death for DuPage County and
Illinois residents in 2000, followed by heart disease and unintentional injury
(accidents). In DuPage County, unintentional injuries and heart disease
contributed about equally to YPLL in 2000, while at the state level, heart
disease resulted in a larger share of YPLL than did injuries. Rankings of causes
of death by YPLL can vary from year to year. Differences between state and
county YPLL data should be monitored over a period of time to determine if
significant trends emerge that are worthy of further consideration.
When comparing the incidence of premature death in men versus women, some
interesting differences surface. Cancer, and in particular lung or breast
cancer, is the most frequent cause of premature death for women. Cancer deaths
accounted for 34 percent of YPLL for DuPage County women in 2000, compared with
11 percent for men. Meanwhile, unintentional injuries accounted for another 11
percent of YPLL for DuPage County men, compared with only 7 percent for women.
TAPESTRY
Health promotion and disease prevention efforts can help lower the incidence
of premature death. Some chronic illnesses, such as lung cancer and heart
disease, are preventable to some extent with changes in lifestyle. Consequently,
health promotion efforts that encourage residents to refrain from smoking,
follow a healthy diet, and exercise regularly may help reduce the occurrence of
these illnesses in our population. In addition, community-based injury
prevention efforts can reduce unintentional injury deaths.
Many other factors contribute to health as well, including environmental
factors such as good air and water quality, access to high quality healthcare
services, and an active lifestyle. Other “determinants” of health include
housing conditions, educational attainment, and employment. Therefore, a
multi-sectored approach to promoting health and preventing disease can optimize
community resources, facilitate a healthier community, and help prevent
premature deaths.
COMMENTARY
by Margo Schreiber, Former Director, Illinois
Department on Aging
"The issue of aging affects all of society because aging is a personal
issue, a family issue, a workplace issue, an economic issue, and also a
community issue. As more Illinois elders live into their 90’s, or even past 100,
the demand for long term care and community-based services will markedly
increase over the next four to ten years."
HOW TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE
If you
have an interest in getting involved, please feel free to contact:
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