Years of potential life lost among the population: Is YPLL analysis a helpful tool?

Mortality is one of the key determinants of the demographic development of the Republic of Srpska (RS). In the last 20 years, there has been an increase in the mortality rate, especially in the older population. Years of potential life lost (YPLL) were used in this study as a measure of the premature mortality of the population of the RS. The reference age limit is set at 70 years of age, therefore, premature mortality refers to all deaths in the age range from 0 to 69 years. The time frame includes a period of 20 years (1998-2018). The subject of the research is the YPLL analysis of the population of the RS, with a special emphasis on the causes of death. The study aims to determine the differences in YPLL according to gender and cause of death, as well as to indicate the factors influencing differential premature mortality. The results of the research indicate a decrease in YPLL by about 40%. Higher YPLL rates were registered in males. Differentiation according to the cause of death showed low values of YPLL in non-communicable diseases, while high rates were recorded in violent deaths. The decrease in the YPLL rate is a consequence of the reduction of infant mortality and violent deaths, while high values in males are a consequence of the influence of risk factors. Reducing these factors can have a significant impact on reducing YPLL rates among the population of the RS.