Non-communicable diseases, such as heart diseases and cancer, are the primary cause of disability and death worldwide today, signifying a demonstrable shift in the nature of global health. This is just one of several pivotal conclusions which have emerged from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010 (GBD 2010). The study, launched jointly by The Lancet and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, represents the single most comprehensible overview of global health to date.
The shift in the burden of disease was decisive: the burden has shifted from children to younger adults, and from premature mortality to disability and morbidity. Malnutrition, maternal health, child illness and communicable diseases now cause fewer illnesses and deaths than they did twenty years ago, and the subsequent downward revisions in child mortality are accompanied by a dramatic rise in global life expectancy worldwide – by 12 years for women and 11 years for men over the last forty years.However, while life expectancy has increased significantly, it is accompanied by a greater burden of morbidity and disability. GBD 2010 thus determined that, although people are living longer, they are not necessarily enjoying the extra years of good health. The consequences of such conclusions should not be understated: these statistics have profound implications for policymakers and individuals alike, potentially generating a significant change in the way health systems operate. Such conclusions should not be interpreted as demonstrative of all regions worldwide, however. Contributing health experts were quick to emphasize the significant regional variations and, in particular, the enduring challenges in sub-SaharanAfrica, where the leading risks continue to be those associated with poverty and which primarily affect children.The highly-anticipated launch of GBD 2010 took place on 14 December, 2012 where many health experts and scholars were present. The launch event comprised a series of panel sessions on key findings of the study. It featured presentations assessing mortality and causes of death; years lived with disability and healthy life expectancy; disability-adjusted life years for diseases and injuries; comparative risk assessment and the implications of the GBD 2010 and finally the next steps to follow.GBD 2010 builds upon the studies of 1990 and 2005, but is significantly broader in scope than its predecessors. Five hundred health experts and epidemiologists came together over the course of five years to measure levels and trends in all major injuries, diseases and risk factors, in 21 regions worldwide. Results are presented according to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure specially developed for burden of disease studies, which takes into account years lost due to premature mortality as well as years lost due to time lived in a ‘less than ideal’ state of health.
GBD 2010 thus represents a monumental step in quantifying the impact of global and regional injuries, diseases and risk factors on population health worldwide. Improving the health of the global population, as the GBD 2010 seeks to achieve, is integral to securing global stability and advancement. This is why, in the words of Dr. Nishtar, the GBD 2010 represents a “global public good” of unprecedented importance. With the tools that have been developed, the GBD 2010 has the potential to generate considerable policy traction in the developing world. The key, however, lies with the individual : while health systems, governments, and industries outside the health sector have an important role to play, the individual is crucial in ensuring the findings of this publication translate into concrete and immediate policy traction.
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Mariam Malik (Blog moderator)
Senior Research and Communications Associate
Heartfile