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PYLL: Myth or Reality?

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PYLL: Myth or Reality? Scientific Evidence Listing

We often hear about “premature deaths” and ”cost to society” by the obese, the drinkers, the smokers and other “wrong” lifestyles. This is also referred to as Potential Years of Life Lost, or PYLL. We are lead to believe that if we eliminated diseases such as cancer and health disease (attributed, of course, to the “wrong” lifestyles) we would live longer – much longer. Is that true? The evidence at hand does not show that. In fact, even if we could completely eliminate those diseases, the average life span would be extended from a few hours to a few days. Aside from the pain and suffering, the gains in productivity would be really miserable – and death would occur for other diseases, anyway.

Macroeconomics of Prevention and Disease Control in the United States | Gio B. Gori, Brian J. Richter
Article Published: 1978/06/09

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Science, Vol. 200, 9 June 1978

Keywords: Gori, Richter, macroeconomics, prevention

Further Information

Prospects for Human Longevity | S. Jay Olshansky, Bruce A. Carnes, Aline Désesquelles
Article Published: 2001

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Science 2001 February 23; 291: 1491-1492

Keywords: Olshansky, Carnes, Désesquelles, longevity, PYLL

Further Information

Catalog of Risks Extended and Updated | Bernard L. Cohen
Article Published: 1991

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Health Physics 1991; 61: 317-335

Keywords: Cohen, live, extension, PYLL, prevention

Further Information

Premature deaths in Canada: impact, trends and opportunities for prevention | Wigle DT, Mao Y, Semenciw R, McCann C, Davies JW
Article Published: 1990

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Funding Source: Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
Published By: Can J Public Health. 1990 Sep-Oct;81(5):376-81

Keywords: Wigle, Mao, Semenciw, McCann, Davies, Canada, PYLL

Further Information

Extract of the 1979 USSG Report on the relative life expectancy of smokers and non smokers | US Surgeon General Report
Article Published: 1979

Details:
Type: Official report
Published By: US Department of Health and Human Services

Keywords: life, expectancy, USSG, surgeon, general, report, SG, active, smoking

Further Information

The Effect of a Reduction in Leading Causes of Death: Potential Gains in Life Expectancy | Tsai SP, Lee ES, Hardy RJ
Article Published: 1978

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Am J Public Health. 1978 Oct;68(10):966-71

Keywords: Tsai, Lee, Hardy, PYLL, years, life, United States, USA

Further Information

Potential Gains in Life Expectancies by Partial Elimination of Leading Causes of Death in Texas | Tsai SP, Lee ES
Article Published: 1978

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Tex Rep Biol Med. 1978;36:185-96

Keywords: Tsai, Lee, PYLL, years, life, United States, USA, Texas

Further Information

The increase in working years due to elimination of cancer as a cause of death | Hakulinen T, Teppo L
Article Published: 1976

Details:
Type: Statistical Demographic
Published By: Int J Cancer. 1976 Apr 15;17(4):429-35

Keywords: Hakulinen, Teppo, Finland, PYLL

Further Information

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