Premature Mortality

Abstract

By 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to achieve a 25% reduction in premature mortality from 4 non-communicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease. The commonly used indicators for premature mortality including the potential year of life lost (PYLL), year of life lost (YLL), and probability of dying. Premature mortality is acceptable as a good summary measure of population health as it gives greater weight to the death at early stage of life. Knowledge and understanding of the cause of premature mortality is essential for priority setting or health service planning. The objective of this study was to review the concept, current situation and trend of premature mortality globally, in order to understand and guide the premature mortality study in Thailand. The results of this study showed the dramatically decreasing premature mortality trend in many countries, especially in the developed ones.