Premature mortality, Israel 1986.

Mortality statistics serve as the most common tool for health policy planning. However, this method suffers from several shortcomings. The mortality patterns in Israel in 1986 are presented in this article using the measure of years of potential life lost (YPLL), which better expresses premature mortality and the burden of diseases on society. Ischemic heart disease, cancer, and accidents of all types are responsible equally for most premature deaths in males in Israel, whereas cancer is the leading cause of premature mortality in women in Israel. Planning future health policy should rely more heavily on measures such as YPLL.