Background:

Years of potential life lost (YPLL) is a parameter that allows to analyze premature deaths.

Aim:

To study the causes, differences by gender, geographic variations and the trend of premature deaths in the last decade in Chile.

Material and Methods:

Using death databases published by the Ministry of Health, YPLL were calculated for the decade 2001-2010, using the method proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Results:

The standardized annual average YPLL rate in Chile in the study period was 4.703 per 100,000 inhabitants. Trauma, cancer and cardiovascular diseases accounted for 68% of YPLL. The male/female YPLL ratio was 2.07; for trauma and mental disorders, the male/female ratio for YPLL was over 5; for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases the male/female ratio was over two. Regions with a higher proportion of rural areas had higher YPLL rates.

Conclusions:

The main causes of YPLL are potentially preventable. Further studies should be carried out to identify risk factors for premature death.