PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Marlow, A K
TI  - Potential years of life lost: what is the denominator?
AID  - 10.1136/jech.49.3.320
DP  - 1995 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
PG  - 320--322
VI  - 49
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/49/3/320.short
4100  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/49/3/320.full
SO  - J Epidemiol Community Health1995 Jun 01; 49
AB  - OBJECTIVE--To suggest an appropriate denominator for use with the statistic "potential years of life lost", in order to facilitate valid comparisons between health authorities. DESIGN--Analysis of OPCS population and mortality data for the period 1987-91. SETTING--Data for Wales were analysed to provide comparisons between the nine district health authorities. SUBJECTS--There were 46,139 males and 30,258 females--that is, all deaths of Welsh residents, aged under 75 years, during the period 1987-91. MAIN RESULTS--The use of age sensitive denominators with the potential years of life lost statistic alters the rank position of Welsh district health authorities. CONCLUSION--It is suggested that potential years of life lost should be expressed as a rate per 100,000 potential years of life in public health common data sets, and elsewhere, to facilitate valid comparisons between health authorities.