Visit “Global: Both Sexes, All Ages, 2016, DALYs” on the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation GBD Compare Data Visualization Hub website. Compare the primary causes of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from countries in two different socio-demographic index levels or economic regions. Identify three social or political-economic differences that help explain the differences you observed. Discuss the utility of the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) measure as a composite measure of health. Why is the DALY helpful given the different categories of Communicable, Noncommunicable, and Injury when it comes to comparing mortality and morbidity?
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Introduction:
In this assignment, we will be discussing the primary causes of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from countries in different socio-demographic index levels or economic regions. We will also identify social or political-economic differences that help explain the differences observed, and discuss the utility of the DALY measure as a composite measure of health. Finally, we will explore why the DALY is helpful when it comes to comparing mortality and morbidity across different categories of Communicable, Noncommunicable, and Injury.
Answer:
The primary causes of DALYs differ across countries in different socio-demographic index levels or economic regions. For example, countries with a lower socio-economic status tend to have higher rates of DALYs from communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, whereas countries with a higher socio-economic status tend to have higher rates of DALYs from non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Three social or political-economic differences that help explain the differences observed are access to healthcare, education, and income. Countries with higher access to healthcare, education, and income tend to have better health outcomes, resulting in fewer DALYs.
The DALY measure is useful as a composite measure of health because it takes into account both the mortality and morbidity associated with a particular disease or condition. This enables policymakers to prioritize health interventions that improve both life expectancy and quality of life, rather than simply focusing on reducing mortality rates.
Additionally, the DALY is helpful when it comes to comparing mortality and morbidity across different categories of Communicable, Noncommunicable, and Injury. This is because it considers both the duration and severity of illness, enabling policymakers to compare the impact of different diseases based on both the number of deaths and the number of years of life lost due to disability.
