Commentary: Sick populations and sick individuals

Abstract

The emerging burdens of chronic non-communicable disease in the developing world are stubbornly resistant to prevention given the limited infrastructure, the competing priorities of communicable diseases and trauma and limited resources. Worldwide, there are approximately 55 million deaths each year, over half of which occur in people less than 60 years of age. Communicable diseases account for 31%, non-communicable diseases for 60% and injuries for 9%.¹ However, this mortality picture does not give a good indication of just how sick the population is. Disability-adjusted years provide a different lens through which to examine burdens of disease and produce rather different rank ordering of priority health problems, in particular highlighting the importance of injuries.²