Why Monitor Length of Life
Length of life refers to the span from birth to death. How long people live is a critical public health measure for assessing the overall health and well-being of a population. When the length of life is measured and tracked over time, the trends help communities recognize and address health inequities, implement strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce preventable deaths at all stages of life.
Indicators on this page:
What are the leading causes of death in our community? Click the link below to learn more:
Leading Causes of Death
Life Expectancy
Why this is important: Life expectancy is the average length of time a person is likely to live, based on data about the life span of the rest of the population with the same demographics (sex, race, etc). In addition to basic demographics, factors such as access to healthcare, housing stability, financial security, environmental exposures, genetics, and lifestyle choices all play a role in determining life expectancy1.
Definition: Number of years a person can expect to live at birth
Trend: The life expectancy for Whatcom County was increasing from 2003 to 2010, before leveling off until 2018, at which point the life expectancy started decreasing up to 2022.
Geography: Whatcom County had a higher life expectancy than Washington state in 2022.
Disparities: Disparities exist in Whatcom County for life expectancy among people of different races and sexes. Hover over the data to discover more.
Learn more:
- Life Expectancy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Why life expectancy in the US is falling, Harvard Health Publishing.
- U.S. Life Expectancy Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
- What is Driving Widening Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy? Kaiser Family Foundation, 2023.
Premature Death Rate
Why this is important: Premature death is measured in terms of years of potential life lost (YPLL). For example, if a person’s life expectancy was 65 years, and they die at age 60, 5 years of potential life are counted as having been lost. Monitoring premature death rates helps communities recognize and work to prevent premature deaths and improve overall population health.
Definition: Years of potential life lost before the age of 65 (YPLL65) per 100,000 population
Trend: The premature death rate in Whatcom County was decreasing significantly from 2003 to 2018 before sharply increasing from 2018 to 2022.
Geography: The premature death rate in Whatcom County was lower than the rate in Washington in 2022.
Disparities: Disparities exist in Whatcom County for the premature death rate among people of different races and sexes. Hover over the data to explore more.
Learn more:
- Premature Death in the United States, America’s Health Rankings.
Infant Mortality Rate
Why this is important: Infant mortality rate is a critical indicator of a population’s overall health and well-being. Understanding infant mortality rates can guide a community’s efforts to identify and address contributing factors, such as inadequate access to healthcare and poor maternal health, to reduce preventable deaths among society’s most vulnerable members.
Definition: Number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births
Trend: The number of infant deaths in Whatcom County fell slightly in 2021 and remained steady through 2022.
Geography: The number of infant deaths in Whatcom County in 2022 was similar to that across Washington State.
Disparities: The number of infant deaths in Whatcom County between 2017 and 2021 is too small to detect differences between age groups or racial groups.
Learn more:
- Fetal and Infant Death Data, WA State Department of Health.
- Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them, Kaiser Family Foundation, 2022.
- Safe Sleep, American Academy of Pediatrics.
Additional Resources
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