Evaluating Trends in Mortality and Years of Life Lost Due to Cardiovascular Diseases in the Southwest of Fars Province, 2013-2023: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the top cause of death and disability globally. Estimating the years of life lost (YLL) can inform policy and intervention programs. The present study was designed and implemented to estimate the number of deaths and YLL, estimate their trend, and examine demographic characteristics due to cardiovascular diseases. Material and Methods: This retrospective population-based study analyzed mortality trends and YLL associated with 4314 deaths caused by CVDs. Data recorded in the Kazerun Forensic Medicine Organization were used to calculate the YLL due to cardiovascular diseases. For the descriptive analysis, we utilized the χ 2 test, considering a p value of less than 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Men died from CVDs at an average age of 63.4 (±16 years), while women died at an average age of 61.5 (±17 years). CVDs caused over half (52.3%) of mortality in both sexes. Mortality from heart disease was significantly higher among individuals with lower education levels and self-employed individuals throughout all years. The total number of YLLs due to CVDs was 43,107, which equals 14 years lost per 1000 individuals. While more men died from CVDs throughout most of the study, the difference between the number of male and female mortality narrowed in 2018 and from 2021 to 2023. According to the generalized additive model (GAM), years of life lost from heart disease mortality were increasing until almost 2019, but after 2019, this trend has been decreasing. Conclusion: The calculation of total YLL reveals a significant social burden of premature mortality from CVDs in the southwest of Fars province. This issue should be prioritized as a public health concern, necessitating preventive measures such as education, evaluation, and reduction of modifiable risk factors, increased physical activity, and blood pressure management to decrease mortality rates.