PHA-Exch> New study presents state of the world's health

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at gmail.com>
crossposted from: "[health-vn discussion group]" health-vn at cairo.anu.edu.au


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2008/np11/en/index.html

New study presents state of the world's health

Download latest update:
The global burden of disease: latest update
http://www.who.int/entity/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_full.pdf


27 OCTOBER 2008 | GENEVA -- WHO today published a new assessment of the
global burden of disease, a study that provides the reader with a
comprehensive picture of the global and regional state of health. Drawing
from extensive data across the Organization, it features comparisons between
deaths, diseases and injuries by region, age, sex and country income for the
year 2004. It also provides projections of deaths and burden of disease by
cause and region to the year 2030.

The study contains details of the top 10 causes of death and estimates for
over 130 disease and injury causes. Striking findings include:

Worldwide, Africa accounts for nine out of every 10 child deaths due to
malaria, for nine out of every 10 child deaths due to AIDS, and for half of
the world's child deaths due to diarrhoeal disease and pneumonia.

The top five causes of death in low-income countries are: pneumonia,
followed by heart disease, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS and stroke. In high-income
countries, the list is topped by heart disease and followed by stroke, lung
cancer, pneumonia, and asthma/bronchitis.

Men between the ages of 15 and 60 years have much higher risks of dying than
women in the same age category in every region of the world. This, is mainly
due to injuries, including those caused in violence and conflict, and to
higher levels of heart diseases. This difference is most pronounced in Latin
America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and the eastern European regions.

Depression is the leading cause of years lost due to disability, the burden
being 50% higher for females than males. In both low- and middle-income
countries, and high-income countries, alcohol dependence and problem use are
among the 10 leading causes of disability.

The production and dissemination of health information for action is one of
WHO's core mandated activities. This study provides Member States with an
important input for health decision making, planning and priority setting.

"It is vital that we have a global and regional picture of deaths, disease
and disability," says Colin Mathers, Coordinator for Epidemiology and Burden
of Disease at WHO and lead author of the study. "This study enables
policy-makers and countries to identify the gaps and ensure that help and
efforts are directed to those who are most in need. The countries can use
the information to create strategies and cost-effective interventions aimed
at improving health across the world."

The study contains information on:

causes of death in different parts of the world
the leading causes of death by age, sex and disease
the numbers of people with various diseases and disabilities
how many people become ill each year
the causes of loss of health and the actual loss of years of good health:
these are measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). One DALY is
equivalent to the loss of one year of full health.
For more information contact:

Natalie Boudou-Jacobs
E-mail: boudoun at who.int

Fiona Fleck
E-mail: fleckf at who.int
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