Volume 29 - Article 41 | Pages 1127–1152  

Cause-specific measures of life years lost

By Per Kragh Andersen, Vladimir Canudas-Romo, Niels Keiding

Abstract

Background: A new measure of the number of life years lost due to specific causes of death is introduced.

Methods: This measure is based on the cumulative incidence of death, it does not require "independence" of causes, and it satisfies simple balance equations: "total number of life years lost = sum of cause-specific life years lost", and "total number of life years lost before age x + temporary life expectancy between birth and age x = x".

Results: The measure is contrasted to alternatives suggested in the demographic literature and all methods are illustrated using Danish and Russian multiple decrement life-tables.

Author's Affiliation

• Per Kragh Andersen - Københavns Universitet, Denmark EMAIL
• Vladimir Canudas-Romo - Australian National University, Australia EMAIL
• Niels Keiding - Københavns Universitet, Denmark EMAIL

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