Method
Years of potential life lost (YPLL) data are acquired from the University of Wisconsin’s County Health Rankings (CHR). Potential life lost is defined by CHR as a death occurring before the age of 75. CHR uses 2018 – 2020 three-year averages from the National Vital Statistic System (NVSS) as the basis for their calculation. NVSS data are compiled from state death records and maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Age-stratified NVSS data are used to calculate the total years of potential life lost to all persons under age 75, by county, using the following formula:
YPLL = [ 75 * (Number of Deaths Under Age 75) ] – [ SUM (Age at Death) ]
To further illustrate, a person dying at age 50 would contribute 25 years of life lost to the YPLL index. YPLL is age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. population to allow comparison between counties and is reported as a rate per 100,000 people. For more information, please review the County Health Rankings Premature Death indicator information.
Background
The Division of Vital Statistics is a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) responsible for maintaining birth and death records for the nation. Data are compiled for the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) through a joint effort between the NCHS and various state and local health agencies, who are responsible for registering vital events – births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and fetal deaths. NVSS statistics are released annually in various data warehouses, including CDC WONDER , VitalStats, and the Health Indicator Warehouse .
Note
Race and Ethnicity
Statistics by race and ethnicity are not provided for this indicator from the data source. Detailed race/ethnicity data may be available at a broader geographic level, or from a local source.