The loss from premature deaths of economically active manpower in the various populations of south africa 2. man years of economically active life lost from premature death
Wyndham, C.H.
South African Medical Journal 60(12): 458-462
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 Document Number: 510715
The potential number of man-years lost owing to premature deaths, for the age group 15-64 yr was estimated for 1970 for each of the 4 populations of the RSA [South Africa] for all causes of death and for certain leading causes of death. From these figures the rates of man-years lost per 1000 of the economically active populations were calculated. This analysis shows that in whites in 1970 1/3 of the man-years lost was due to circulatory diseases (with 20% from ischemic heart disease (IHD)) and 1/3 to accidents (with 20% from motor vehicle accidents). The pattern was similar in Asians. In coloreds and blacks the pattern was different. While 1/3 of the man-years lost was due to accidents (with 15% from homicide in blacks), the percentage due to circulatory diseases was much lower, but infective and parasitic diseases accounted for 11% (with 8-9% from tuberculosis) and respiratory diseases for 11% of the man-years lost. In 1970 the rate of man-years lost owing to premature deaths in whites in the RSA in the economically active age group was roughly twice that of the population of England and Wales [UK], the excess being largely due to circulatory diseases (mainly IHD) and accidents (mainly motor vehicle accidents). If the mortality rates for all causes of death in whites in the RSA could be reduced to that of the population of England and Wales, some 89,000 man-years lost from premature deaths could be saved each year. Of this saving, 32,000 man-years would be from circulatory diseases (with 22,000 man-years from IHD) and 45,000 man-years from accidents (with 30,000 man-years from motor vehicle accidents). In 1970, the rates of man-years lost in coloreds and blacks owing to all causes of death were twice as high as those in whites, the excess being due to tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, ill-defined diseases and homicide. If the rates for these causes of death could be brought down to the rates in whites in the RSA, some half a million man-years lost owing to premature deaths could be saved each year in blacks and 50,000 man-years lost saved in coloreds. To effect these potential savings in the economically active manpower group by preventing premature deaths a radical change in health strategy is needed in the RSA with a greater proportion of the health budget being spent on health promotion and disease prevention.