Years of potential life lost as the indicator of premature mortality in occupational medicine.

Measurement of premature mortality is necessary to plan medical programs and to conduct effective medical activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the years of potential life lost (YPLL) with other mortality indices and to understand the usefulness and limitations of quantitative measurement for premature mortality. Data concerning death during employment were surveyed from 1979 to 1984. One thousand seven hundred twenty-five deaths were observed in 1,504,462 person-years in the study population. Proportionate mortality ratios indicated medical problems concerning malignant neoplasms and heart disease, but they could not identify the problems of suicide and traffic accidents occurring in the relatively younger group. YPLL by a constant end point at 60 years of age could rank these causes next below the major leading causes of death. Thus, YPLL might be a useful indicator of the problems concerning premature mortality in occupational medicine.