ObjectiveTo analyze the long-term trend of viral hepatitis mortality in Jing’an District of Shanghai， and to provide a reference for viral hepatitis prevention and control.

MethodsMortality rate， standard mortality rate， PYLL and potential years of life lost rate （PYLL‰） of viral hepatitis in Jing’an district of Shanghai from 1976 to 2015 were calculated. The annual percent change （APC） of the mortality and PYLL‰ were analyzed by Joinpoint regression analysis.

ResultsFrom 1976 to 2015， there were 1 342 viral hepatitis death cases， including 832 males and 510 females. The average crude mortality rate was 8.31/100 000， and the average age-standardized mortality rate was 5.45/100 000. Among the deaths of viral hepatitis， men had a higher mortality rate， age-standardized mortality rate and PYLL% than women （${\chi }^{\mathrm{2}}$_Pearson=107.34， 112.93， 39.15， all P<0.01）， men were mainly in the age group of 35-64 years （accounted for 62.62%）， while women were mainly in the age group of 65 years and above （accounted for 55.49 %）， and the average death age of men was earlier than that of women （by rank-sum test： $Z$=-8.879，$P$<0.01）. After 1990 （except in 2002）， hepatitis B was the main cause of deaths from viral hepatitis， accounting for 75.00%-100%， and the proportion of other and unclassified cases gradually decreased. Overall， the mortality rate of viral hepatitis declined significantly during 1976-2015 （APC=-2.0%，$P$<0.05）， with the turning point in 2002. The mortality rate of viral hepatitis declined significantly from 2002 to 2015 （APC=-8.1%，$P$<0.05）. The overall PYLL‰ of viral hepatitis declined significantly during 1976-2015 （APC=-3.7%，$P$<0.05）， with the turning point in 1992. After 1992， the PYLL‰ of viral hepatitis declined significantly during 1992-2015 （APC=-6.5%，$P$<0.05）.

ConclusionThere has been a significant decline trend of viral hepatitis in the mortality rate in Jing’an District of Shanghai from 2002 to 2015， with hepatitis B as the main cause of death.