Estimating the burden of disease in an English region

Abstract

Background Health Authorities seeking to make appropriateinvestments in health care require information about thenature of the burden of disease in their populations. TheWorld Bank instrument called DALY – Disability Adjusted Life Year — has been used in the South and West Region tomeasure this burden. Method The burden of disease caused by a selection ofdiseases has been calculated using DALYs, which combinepremature mortality and disability. An estimate of the totalburden has been estimated by ICD chapter. Results Premature mortality accounts for 52 per cent of theburden of disease and disability 48 per cent. Mental illness, for which its DALY value is largely derived from disability notpremature mortality, contributes the third largest componentof the total burden, after heart disease and cance. Discussion DALYs can be calculated using UK data and withan appreciation of the theoretical issues which surround thecalculations can be used to describe the burden of disease ina population. Although designed to assist investmentdecisions in developing countries the DALY is likely to bevaluable in established market economies.