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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

Table 4. Leading causes of Premature Mortality (YPLL-75)
RankPremature Mortality (YPLL-75)% of Total
YPLL-75
1Cancer24.4%
2Unintentional Injury16.5%
3Heart Disease12.3%
4Suicide7.0%
5Chronic Liver Disease3.9%
6Diabetes3.4%
7Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2.8%
8Stroke2.7%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019

Table 4. Leading causes of Mortality
RankMortality% of
Total Deaths
1Cancer23.6%
2Heart Disease22.3%
3Alzheimer's Disease6.9%
4Stroke5.6%
5Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease5.0%
6Unintentional Injury4.7%
7Diabetes3.0%
8Influenza and pneumonia1.7%

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

Table 5. Leading causes of YPLL-75 for Males
RankPremature Mortality
(YPLL-75)		% of Total
YPLL-75
1Cancer19.7%
2Unintentional Injury18.3%
3Heart Disease14.5%
4Suicide8.6%
5Chronic Liver Disease3.8%
6Diabetes3.7%
7Stroke2.5%
8Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease2.4%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 5. Leading causes of YPLL-75 for Females
RankPremature Mortality
(YPLL-75)		% of Total
YPLL-75
1Cancer32.5%
2Unintentional Injury13.4%
3Heart Disease8.6%
4Suicide4.2%
5Chronic Liver Disease4.1%
6Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease3.5%
7Stroke3.0%
8Diabetes2.9%

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

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.

View Figure 5 data in table format

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

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Santa Rosa
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total32,118  100%
Cancer7,60823.7%
Unintentional Injury4,99315.5%
Heart Disease4,03012.5%
Suicide2,4687.7%
Chronic Liver Disease1,2433.9%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Petaluma
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total8,148100%
Cancer1,97824.3%
Heart Disease1,31816.2%
Unintentional Injury1,11313.7%
Suicide5737.0%
Chronic Liver Disease4755.8%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Sonoma Valley
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total5,263100%
Cancer1,36525.9%
Unintentional Injury97518.5%
Heart Disease58811.2%
Suicide3707.0%
Chronic Liver Disease2554.8%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Rohnert Park
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total6,448100%
Unintentional Injury1,32820.6%
Cancer1,28820.0%
Heart Disease5408.4%
Suicide4036.3%
Diabetes2954.6%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Sebastopol-West County
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total4,008100%
Cancer1,28832.1%
Unintentional Injury67516.8%
Heart Disease44011.0%
Suicide2686.7%
Chronic Liver Disease2005.0%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Windsor
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total3,708100%
Cancer1,10829.9%
Heart Disease38510.4%
Unintentional Injury37310.1%
Suicide2105.7%
Diabetes1955.3%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Healdsburg
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total2,178100%
Cancer45520.9%
Unintentional Injury44020.2%
Heart Disease39017.9%
Suicide1185.4%
Diabetes803.7%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Cloverdale and Geyserville
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total2,363100%
Cancer65027.5%
Unintentional Injury41317.5%
Heart Disease40317.1%
Suicide1556.6%
Stroke833.5%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.

Table 6. Leading causes of YPLL-75 - Russian River Area
Leading Causes
of YPLL-75		3-Year
Total Life Lost
Before 75		% of Total
YPLL-75
Total2,808100%
Cancer78828.1%
Unintentional Injury59821.3%
Heart Disease2659.4%
Suicide1334.7%
Diabetes853.0%

Source: California Department of Public Health, California Integrated Vital Records System, 2015-2017; Accessed 4/8/2019.