Potential years of life lost at ages 25 to 74 among Métis and non-Status Indians, 1991 to 2001.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal peoples experience a disproportionate burden of disease, compared with other Canadians. However, relatively little information is available about mortality among Metis and non-Status Indians. METHODS: This study calculates potential years of life lost before age 75 (PYLL) for people aged 25 to 74 by all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and examines the effect of socio-economic factors on premature mortality. Age-specific and age-standardized PYLL rates were calculated for 11,600 Metis, 5,400 non-Status Indians, and 2,475,700 non-Aboriginal adults based on the number of person-years at risk up to age 75. RESULTS: Metis and non-Status Indian adults had about twice the risk of dying before age 75, compared with non-Aboriginal adults. While the largest percentage of PYLL was due to non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, relative and absolute inequalities were greatest for injuries. Socioeconomic indicators such as income, education and employment explained a large share of the disparities in premature mortality. INTERPRETATION: The results highlight the losses of potential years of life due to chronic diseases, as well as the possible importance of injury prevention programs for Metis and non-Status Indians.