BURDEN OF DISEASE

The burden of disease provides an insight into the loss of health and wellbeing of Australians due to premature mortality, disability and other non-fatal events. Summary measures that combine information on mortality, disability and other non-fatal health outcomes give a more complete view of the health of the population than life expectancy alone. In this analysis we use a measure that is known as the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY). This measure combines information about the years of healthy life lost due to either premature mortality, or to years lived with a disability.

The latest available data shows that in 2003, cancer overtook cardiovascular disease as the largest contributor to the overall burden of disease (19% compared with 18%). This is largely attributable to the success in reducing the impact of cardiovascular disease.

Cancer has remained a relatively stable contributor to the total burden of disease (Begg et al. 2007). From 1993 to 2003, the total burden experienced as a result of ischaemic heart disease decreased from 15% to 11% for men and from 12% to 9% for women.

Anxiety and depression contributed 10% of the total burden of disease for women in 2003, twice that of men (4.8%).

As the population ages it is expected that the total burden of disease experienced as a result of neurological and sense disorders (such as dementia) will increase, as will the total burden of Type 2 diabetes which is primarily linked to obesity (Begg et al. 2007). From 1993 to 2003, the total burden of dementia rose slightly from 2% to 3% for men and 4% to 5% for women. Over the same period, the total burden of Type 2 diabetes increased slightly from 4% to 5% for both men and women.