Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Calculating expected deaths: a comparison of two methods.

A C Chovil1

  • 1Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208.

British Journal of Industrial Medicine
|October 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

The traditional person-years method for calculating mortality expectations may produce exaggerated results, especially in groups with higher mortality. Researchers suggest replacing it with the more accurate prospective model method for better accuracy in epidemiological studies.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Permanent disability evaluation.

Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien·2010
Same author

Ultrasonic measurement of lumbar canal diameter: a screening tool for low back disorders?

Southern medical journal·1989
Same author

Ultrasound lumbar canal measurement in hospital employees with back pain.

British journal of industrial medicine·1988
Same author

Healthy worker effect.

Journal of occupational medicine. : official publication of the Industrial Medical Association·1986
Same author

The role of the nurse in occupational health programs: an industry survey.

Occupational health nursing·1984
Same author

Occupational health services in South Carolina manufacturing plants: results of a survey.

Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)·1983

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics

Background:

  • Mortality expectation calculations are crucial in epidemiological research.
  • Traditional methods like person-years have known limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the accuracy of the person-years method versus the prospective model method for calculating mortality expectations.
  • To highlight the limitations of the person-years method, particularly its reliance on the null hypothesis.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of two distinct methodologies: person-years and prospective model.
  • Application of both methods to data from two independent studies.
  • Evaluation of mortality expectation figures generated by each method.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Significant discrepancies were observed between the two calculation methods.
  • The person-years method showed an exaggeration of mortality expectations in study groups with above-average mortality.
  • The prospective model provided more accurate and theoretically sound estimates.

    • Conclusions:

    • The person-years method can yield artificial and misleading results, especially when the null hypothesis is rejected.
    • The prospective model offers a more reliable approach for calculating mortality expectations.
    • Adoption of the prospective model is recommended to improve the precision of epidemiological findings.