Development of an Information System for Analyzing Years of Life Lost (YLL) and Health Priority Ranking for Policy in Maha Sarakham Province

Abstract

This Research and Development study aimed to develop the Maha Sarakham Burden of Disease (MSK-BOD) information system, compare the proportion of ill-defined causes of death, evaluate its operational efficiency, and formulate policy proposals to support the Service Plan Committee of Maha Sarakham Province. The target group, selected through purposive sampling, consisted of 34 medical statistics practitioners from 13 hospitals. The 2025 mortality database of Maha Sarakham Province was utilized as the input data for processing. The research was conducted in two cycles, encompassing innovation development and practical implementation. Data collection tools included the information system and focus group discussion guidelines. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a Paired t-test, and content analysis. The results of the study revealed that  1) The MSK-BOD system could efficiently intercept garbage codes and calculate the Years of Life Lost (YLL)  2) Following the system's integration with the disease code review process, the proportion of ill-defined causes of death decreased significantly from an average of 21.68% to 9.66% at a statistical significance level of .05. 3)The system accurately reduced data retrieval time; however, limitations were identified regarding the complexity of medical records for chronic diseases, as well as the absence of some deceased individuals' data in the hospital medical records database. 4) Stroke, lower respiratory tract infections, and sepsis accounted for the highest Years of Life Lost, respectively. This empirical data was subsequently utilized to formulate policy briefs to concretely support medical resource allocation by the Service Plan Committee.