[Temporal trend and spatial distribution of premature mortality burden due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in urban Kunming for the years 1998-2003].

OBJECTIVE: To study the temporal trend and spatial distribution of premature mortality burden due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of years of life lost (YLL) in an urban region of Kunming for the years 1998-2003. METHODS: Pan Long district was selected as the study region. YLL was used to measure premature mortality burden due to COPD. The tate of YLL per 1000 residents was calculated without age-weighting but with 3% discounting rate and broken down by year. Geographic information system (GIS) technique was used to display the spatial distribution of premature mortality burden due to COPD during the six years of study. RESULTS: During the years from 1998 to 2003, the premature mortality burden due to COPD decreased by years while males seemed to have a higher YLL rate of COPD than females. Central areas remained to have higher YLL/1000 population values of COPD for the six years, whereas remote areas tended to have a decreasing trend of YLL/1000 population values of COPD in the same period. CONCLUSION: Central areas of the city should be emphasized in further control of COPD in the urban region of Kunming.