Early physicians' mortality in Espírito Santo: a decade trend

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Medical Statistics

Background:

• Physician mortality data are crucial for health promotion and prevention strategies.
• No prior studies have specifically analyzed physician mortality in Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the mortality distribution among physicians in Espírito Santo from 2006 to 2015.
• To calculate potential years of life lost (PYLL) due to physician mortality in the region.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study utilizing secondary data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
• Analysis of socio-demographic variables and causes of death using absolute and relative frequencies.
• PYLL calculated as years remaining until age 70 from age at death.

Main Results:

• A total of 138 physician deaths were analyzed: 14.5% female and 85.5% male.
• Leading causes of death included neoplasms (39.1%), circulatory diseases (19.6%), and external causes (19.6%).
• Average age at death was 58.3 years for women and 67.0 years for men, with women experiencing higher PYLL (20.4 years vs. 13.4 years).

Conclusions:

• Physician mortality patterns in Espírito Santo mirror general population trends, with notable exceptions.
• Physicians, particularly women, experienced premature mortality, resulting in significant potential years of life lost.
• Findings underscore the importance of addressing early mortality and its impact on the physician workforce.