Measuring the loss of age-associated knowledge and skills in the U.S. population, 2020

Objective

Uses Years of Accumulated Ability Lost (YAAL) as a proxy measure of societal loss through death of skills and knowledge acquired with age and experience, and compares the rankings of YAAL with rankings for crude mortality and YPLL (Years of Potential Life Lost).

Methods

2020 U.S. mortality data were used to to estimate YAAL associated with mortality from the leading causes of death, and compare the rankings of YAAL, crude mortality, and YPLL.

Results

YAAL and crude mortality had comparable rankings with the exception of accidents which ranked higher in crude mortality. YAAL and YPLL differed substantially and shared only the ranking of malignant neoplasms third.

Conclusions

YAAL can be used to measure the societal losses through death of skills and knowledge.

Policy implications

In contrast to many non-Western societies, U.S. society does not greatly value its aging population. YAAL provides a measure of the array of skills and knowledge accumulated by a population which is lost at their death.