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Department of Health Services
What are the Leading Causes of Premature Death (YPLL-75)?
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Read Next in Sonoma County Summary Measures of Health 2015-2017:
Premature Death Rate
Overall
The eight leading causes of premature death in Sonoma County did not change from 2013-2015 to 2015-2017. More than half of total years of life lost before age 75 (YPLL-75) were due to the top three leading causes and over 64% were due to the top five leading causes of premature death (Table 4). Unintentional injury and suicide were responsible for a much greater proportion of premature mortality (16.5% and 7%) than overall mortality (referred to as “Morality” in Table 4) (4.7% and 1.6%). Heart disease was responsible for proportionally less premature mortality than overall mortality (12.3% and 22.3%).
Leading causes of YPLL-75 compared to mortality, Sonoma County 2015-2017
| Rank | Premature Mortality (YPLL-75) | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer | 24.4% |
| 2 | Unintentional Injury | 16.5% |
| 3 | Heart Disease | 12.3% |
| 4 | Suicide | 7.0% |
| 5 | Chronic Liver Disease | 3.9% |
| 6 | Diabetes | 3.4% |
| 7 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 2.8% |
| 8 | Stroke | 2.7% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019
| Rank | Mortality | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer | 23.6% |
| 2 | Heart Disease | 22.3% |
| 3 | Alzheimer's Disease | 6.9% |
| 4 | Stroke | 5.6% |
| 5 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 5.0% |
| 6 | Unintentional Injury | 4.7% |
| 7 | Diabetes | 3.0% |
| 8 | Influenza and pneumonia | 1.7% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019
By Sex
The top five leading causes of premature mortality were similar for men and women in Sonoma County (Table 5). Sonoma County men had a higher percentage of total YPLL-75 due to unintentional injury, heart disease, and suicide than did women in the county. Women had a higher percentage of YPLL-75 to cancer than men. Suicide rose from the fifth leading cause of death for women in 2013-2015 to the fourth leading cause in 2015-2017.
Leading causes of YPLL-75 by sex, Sonoma County 2015-2017
| Rank | Premature Mortality (YPLL-75) | % of Total YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer | 19.7% |
| 2 | Unintentional Injury | 18.3% |
| 3 | Heart Disease | 14.5% |
| 4 | Suicide | 8.6% |
| 5 | Chronic Liver Disease | 3.8% |
| 6 | Diabetes | 3.7% |
| 7 | Stroke | 2.5% |
| 8 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 2.4% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Rank | Premature Mortality (YPLL-75) | % of Total YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer | 32.5% |
| 2 | Unintentional Injury | 13.4% |
| 3 | Heart Disease | 8.6% |
| 4 | Suicide | 4.2% |
| 5 | Chronic Liver Disease | 4.1% |
| 6 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease | 3.5% |
| 7 | Stroke | 3.0% |
| 8 | Diabetes | 2.9% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
By Race/Ethnicity
Cancer was the leading cause of premature death for residents of all race/ethnicities, except African American/Black residents (Figure 5). The top three leading causes of premature death for African American/Black residents of the county were heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Unintentional injury was the second leading cause of premature death for Sonoma County Hispanic/Latinos and white, non-Hispanics and the third leading cause for Asian/Pacific Islander residents of the county. Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native residents had a higher percentage of premature deaths due to cancer (32% and 29%) than other racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic/Latino residents had a higher percentage of premature deaths due to unintentional injury (20%) compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
Figure 5. Leading causes of YPLL-75 by race/ethnicity, Sonoma County 2015-2017
*Data based on fewer than five deaths are suppressed
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
By Geography
Cancer, heart disease, and unintentional injury were the top three leading causes of premature death for all geographies (Table 6). Cancer was the leading cause of premature death for all geographies except Rohnert Park, where unintentional injury was the leading cause of premature death. Sebastopol – West County and Windsor had the highest percentage of years of life lost due to cancer (32.1% and 29.9%, respectively). The Russian River area, Rohnert Park, and Healdsburg had the highest percentage of years of life lost due to unintentional injury (21.3%, 20.6%, and 20.2%, ectively). The percentage of years of life lost due to heart disease was highest in Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Geyserville, and Petaluma (17.9%, 17.1%, and 16.2%, respectively).
Leading causes of YPLL-75 by select geography, Sonoma County 2015-2017
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 32,118 | 100% |
| Cancer | 7,608 | 23.7% |
| Unintentional Injury | 4,993 | 15.5% |
| Heart Disease | 4,030 | 12.5% |
| Suicide | 2,468 | 7.7% |
| Chronic Liver Disease | 1,243 | 3.9% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 8,148 | 100% |
| Cancer | 1,978 | 24.3% |
| Heart Disease | 1,318 | 16.2% |
| Unintentional Injury | 1,113 | 13.7% |
| Suicide | 573 | 7.0% |
| Chronic Liver Disease | 475 | 5.8% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 5,263 | 100% |
| Cancer | 1,365 | 25.9% |
| Unintentional Injury | 975 | 18.5% |
| Heart Disease | 588 | 11.2% |
| Suicide | 370 | 7.0% |
| Chronic Liver Disease | 255 | 4.8% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 6,448 | 100% |
| Unintentional Injury | 1,328 | 20.6% |
| Cancer | 1,288 | 20.0% |
| Heart Disease | 540 | 8.4% |
| Suicide | 403 | 6.3% |
| Diabetes | 295 | 4.6% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 4,008 | 100% |
| Cancer | 1,288 | 32.1% |
| Unintentional Injury | 675 | 16.8% |
| Heart Disease | 440 | 11.0% |
| Suicide | 268 | 6.7% |
| Chronic Liver Disease | 200 | 5.0% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 3,708 | 100% |
| Cancer | 1,108 | 29.9% |
| Heart Disease | 385 | 10.4% |
| Unintentional Injury | 373 | 10.1% |
| Suicide | 210 | 5.7% |
| Diabetes | 195 | 5.3% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 2,178 | 100% |
| Cancer | 455 | 20.9% |
| Unintentional Injury | 440 | 20.2% |
| Heart Disease | 390 | 17.9% |
| Suicide | 118 | 5.4% |
| Diabetes | 80 | 3.7% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 2,363 | 100% |
| Cancer | 650 | 27.5% |
| Unintentional Injury | 413 | 17.5% |
| Heart Disease | 403 | 17.1% |
| Suicide | 155 | 6.6% |
| Stroke | 83 | 3.5% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.
| Leading Causes
of YPLL-75 | 3-Year
Total Life Lost Before 75 | % of Total
YPLL-75 |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 2,808 | 100% |
| Cancer | 788 | 28.1% |
| Unintentional Injury | 598 | 21.3% |
| Heart Disease | 265 | 9.4% |
| Suicide | 133 | 4.7% |
| Diabetes | 85 | 3.0% |
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.