Preventable premature mortality in Northern Dimension partnership countries 2003-2021

BACKGROUND: Potential Years Life Lost (PYLL) is an established method to measure, follow trends and compare disease burden within and between countries. Northern Dimension Partnership in Health and Social wellbeing (NDPHS) network was established in 2003 and includes the following countries in same geographic area but considerable differences in social and economic development: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Due to the Russian invasion to Ukraine, Russia is now excluded from the collaboration. AIMS: To study total and cause-specific premature mortality and mortality trends in NDPHS countries from 2003 to 2021. METHODS: Premature mortality is defined as a death before the age of 70 years. PYLL-rates per 100,000 population are presented in six cause of deaths categories: total mortality, external causes, vascular diseases, cancers, alcohol-related deaths and suicides. Data are obtained from Eurostat and analyses are standardized to EU standard population. RESULTS: PYLL-rates declined from 2003 to 2017 in all countries and in most causes of death sub-groups. In 2017 PYLL rates, in men and women respectively, were lowest in Norway, 3001 and 1921, and highest in Russia, 14267 and 5363. Most premature losses were due to malignant neoplasms (1122), followed by vascular diseases (947) and external causes (902). Difference between countries was largest in vascular diseases (316 vs. 2845), external causes (478 vs. 2845) and alcohol related causes (62 vs. 842). The new data until 2021 are available in May and updated results will be presented in the EPH Conference. CONCLUSIONS: The number of years lost due to premature preventable mortality have declined markedly in all NDPHS countries in last decades. However, in 2017 there were remarkable differences in PYLL-rates between countries. The updated analysis will show whether the positive trend continues and whether differences between countries are diminishing. KEY MESSAGES: • The number of years lost due to premature preventable mortality have declined markedly in all NDPHS countries in last decades. • In 2017 there were remarkable differences in PYLL-rates between NDPHS countries.