The aim of this study was to determine and analyse the potential years of life lost (PYLL) of the principal causes of death, by sex and age, in Fortaleza, in 1978-80. Death certificates of the period 1978-80, were classified according to cause, sex and age. The technique adopted for PYLL was the one suggested by Romeder and McWhinnie, the age limit of potential life being established at 65. The results showed that the total of PYLL was 197,942.5 for males, and 137,545 for females, corresponding to rates of PYLL of 119.82 per 1,000 men and 73.06 per 1,000 women, and that violent deaths, with 41.15 per 1,000 men and 8.46 per 1,000 women, were the main contributory factor in PYLL in both sexes accounting for 34.35% of male and 11.57% of female PYLL. By order of importance in PYLL the principal causes were violence, infectious intestinal diseases, diseases of the respiratory system, and cancer, in males, and violence, diseases of the respiratory system, cancer, infectious intestinal diseases and cerebrovascular diseases, in females. The importance of the use of PYLL methodology for Health Planning, as a tool of orientation in the choice of priorities was stressed.
Mortality; Health indicators; Health planning
