Global Burden of Disease analysis provides comprehensive and comparable data on mortality and loss of health due to diseases, injuries and risk factors for all regions of the world. The overall burden of disease is calculated using the disability-adjusted life year (DALY), that is a measure that combines 'years of life lost due to premature mortality' with 'years of life lost due to time lived in less than full health'.
The original Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study was commissioned by the World Bank in 1991 and provided burden of disease estimates for 1990. NDARC has been working with the World Health Organisation and other bodies to calculate the burden of disease, injuries and risk factors for 1990, 2005 and 2010. The topline findings were released on 15 December, 2012 in a triple issue of the leading journal The Lancet.
NDARC's main contribution to the international Global Burden of Disease project is to calculate levels of disease, injury and death associated with illicit drug use and dependence.
From the World Health Organisation:
A consistent and comparative description of the burden of diseases and injuries and the risk factors that cause them is an important input to health decision-making and planning processes. Information that is available on mortality and health in populations in all regions of the world is fragmentary and sometimes inconsistent. Thus, a framework for integrating, validating, analysing and disseminating such information is needed to assess the comparative importance of diseases, injuries and risk factors in causing premature death, loss of health and disability in different populations. Countries can combine this type of evidence along with information about policies and their costs to decide how to set their health agenda.
The first GBD 1990 study quantified the health effects of more than 100 diseases and injuries for eight regions of the world in 1990. It generated comprehensive and internally consistent estimates of mortality and morbidity by age, sex and region. The study also introduced a new metric – the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) – as a single measure to quantify the burden of diseases, injuries and risk factors. The DALY is based on years of life lost from premature death and years of life lived in less than full health. This study was updated for the year 2000-2002 and included a more extensive analysis of the mortality and burden of disease attributable to 26 global risk factors. These estimates were most recently updated for the year 2004, see The global burden of disease: 2004 update and the Global health risks reports.
In the end of 2012 topline findings on the global burden of disease, injuries and risk factors for the years 1990, 2005 and 2010 were released. It is anticipated these will contribute to revisions for WHO global health estimates.
The GBD study has two major objectives:
As part of the first GBD Study objective, the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group aims to produce estimates of the burden of disease associated with mental health disorders and illicit drug use and dependence.
The project will examine more than 190 diseases and injuries, and more than 45 risk factors, in 21 regions of the world.
Systematic reviews of the prevalence, incidence and duration of mental health disorders and associated mortality and disabling sequelae will be conducted by the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group. Additionally, exposure and effects of risk factors will be assessed. Expert Groups will communicate their figures at defined intervals with other Expert Groups and with the Core Team to ensure consistency across conditions, and will be subjected to external peer review.
NDARC is collecting data on the following drug groups: heroin and other opioids, amphetamine type stimulants, cocaine and cannabis.
Work was completed in 2012 for the overall papers. Work continues on disorder-specific papers.
The GBD study will provide four key benefits as a source of accurate knowledge and a vital tool for informed decision-making.
Peer Reviewed Publications
Charlson, F., Steel, Z., Degenhardt, L., Silove, D.,Chien, T., Whiteford, H., (2012). Predicting the impact of the 2011 conflict in Libya on population-level mental health: estimates of PTSD and depression prevalence and mental health service requirements. PLoS One, 7(7), e40593. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0040593
Degenhardt, L. & Hall, W. (2012). Extent of illicit drug use, dependence, and their contribution to global burden of disease. The Lancet, 381, 55-71.
Lim, S. et al (2012). A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet, 380, 2224-2260. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61766-8
Lozano, R. et al (2012). Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet, 380, 2095 – 2128. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61728-0.
Murray, C. et al. (2012). Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet, 380, 2197-2223. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61689-4
Salomon, J. et al (2012). Common values in assessing health outcomes from disease and injury: disability weights measurement study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet, 380, 2129-2143. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61680-8
Vos, T. et al. (2012). Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet, 380, 2163 – 2196. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61729-2.
Baxter, A. J., Page, A., & Whiteford, H. A. (2011). Factors Influencing Risk of Premature Mortality in Community Cases of Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review, Epidemiology Research International, vol. 2011, Article ID 832945, 12 pages, doi:10.1155/2011/832945
Baxter, A., Whiteford, H., Vos, T. & Norman, R. (2011). Estimation of the burden of disease attributable to mental disorders. Abstract, Global Health Metrics and Evaluation: Controversies, Innovation, Accountability conference. Seattle, USA: Lancet - Conference Abstract, 377, 969 - 970
Charlson, F., Stapelberg, N. J. C., Baxter, A., & Whiteford, H. (2011). Should global burden of disease estimates include depression as a risk factor for coronary heart disease? BMC Medicine, 9(1), 47
Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Bucello, C., Nelson, P., Roberts, A., & Hall, W., Wiessing, L., for the GBD illicit drug use writing group (2011). What data are available on the extent of illicit drug use and dependence globally? Results of four systematic reviews. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 117, 85-101.
Degenhardt, L., Bucello, C., Mathers, B., Briegleb, C., Ali, H., Hickman, H., & McLaren, J. (2011). Mortality among regular or dependent users of heroin and other opioids: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Addiction. 106: 32-51.
Degenhardt, L., Singleton, J., McLaren, J., Calabria, B., Kerr, T., Mehta, S., Kirk, G., & Hall, W. (2011). Mortality among cocaine users: A systematic review of cohort studies. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 113: 88-95.
Ferrari, A., Baxter, A. & Whiteford, H. (2011). A systematic review of the global distribution and availability of prevalence data for bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorder, 134, 1-13.
Nelson, P., Mathers, B., Cowie, B., Hagan, H., DesJarlais, D., Horyniak, D., & Degenhardt, L. (2011). Global epidemiology of hepatitis B and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs: Results of systematic reviews, The Lancet, 378, 571-583.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Briegleb, C., Vos, T., Hall, W., Lynskey, M., Callaghan, B., Rana, U., & McLaren, J. (2010). Systematic reviews of prospective studies investigating "remission" from amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine or opioid dependence. Addictive Behaviors. 35: 741-749.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2010). Does cannabis use increase the risk of death? Systematic review of epidemiological evidence on adverse effects of cannabis use. Drug and Alcohol Review, 29(3), 318-330.
Degenhardt, L., Bruno, R., & Topp, L. (2010). Is ecstasy a drug of dependence? Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 107(1), 1-10.
Charlson, F., Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., McLaren, J., & Lynskey, M. (2009). A systematic review of research examining benzodiazepine-related mortality. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 18(2)93-103.
Degenhardt, L., Whiteford, H., Hall, W., & Vos, T. (2009). Estimating the burden of disease attributable to illicit drug use and mental disorders: What is “Global Burden of Disease 2005” and why does it matter? Addiction. 104(9): 1466-1471.
Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., Lynskey, M., McGrath, J., McLaren, J., Calabria, B., Whiteford, H., & Vos, T. (2009). Should burden of disease estimates include cannabis use as a risk factor for psychosis? PLoS Medicine, 6(9): e1000133. Doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000133.
Hall, W. & Degenhardt, L. (2009). Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use (review). The Lancet, 374, 1383-1391.
Singleton, J., Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., & Zabransky, T. (2009). Mortality among amphetamine users: A systematic review of cohort studies. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 105, 1-8.
NDARC Technical Reports
Bucello, C., Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Nelson, P., Roberts, A., Medina-Mora, M. E., & Compton, W. M. (2010). What do we know about the extent of cocaine use and dependence? Results of a global systematic review. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Technical Report Number 308.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Nelson, P., Bucello, C., Roberts, A., Lynskey, M., Hall, W., & McLaren, J. (2010). What do we know about the extent of cannabis use and dependence? Results of a global systematic review. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Technical Report Number 307.
Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Nelson, P., Bucello, C., Roberts, A., Thomas, J., & Hall, W. (2010). What do we know about the global prevalence of illicit meth/amphetamine use and dependence? Results of a global systematic review. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Technical Report Number Technical Report Number 310.
Nelson, P., McLaren, J., Degenhardt, L., Bucello, C., Calabria, B., Roberts, A., Briegleb, C., Clark, N., & Wiessing, L. (2010). What do we know about the extent of heroin and other opioid use and dependence? Results of a global systematic review. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Technical Report Number 309.
Calabria, B., Phillips, B., Singleton, J., Mathers, B., Congreve, E., Degenhardt, L. & McLaren, J. (2008). Searching the grey literature to access information on drug and alcohol research. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Technical Report Number 293.
Discussion Papers
Charlson, F., Degenhardt, L., McLaren, J., Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2008). Benzodiazepine-related mortality. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group, Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2008). Cannabis-related mortality. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group, Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 3. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Singleton, J., Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., & Zabransky, T. (2008). Mortality among users of amphetamine-type stimulants. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group, Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 4. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2008). Overview of proposed injuries/diseases to be included in the comparative risk assessment for regular cannabis use. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group, Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 5. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Degenhardt, L. & Hall, W. (2008). Illicit drugs as risk factors: some definitions. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group, Illicit drugs discussion paper 8. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Nelson, P., Bucello, C., Roberts, A., Thomas, J. & Hall, W. (2009). Methodology used in a systematic review of evidence on the prevalence of amphetamine use and dependence. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group. Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 13. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Nelson, P., Bucello, C., Lynskey, M., Hall, W., Roberts, A., & McLaren, J. (2009). Methodology used in a systematic review of evidence on the prevalence of cannabis use and dependence. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group. Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 14. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Bucello, C., Degenhardt, L., Calabria, B., Nelson, P., Roberts, A., Medina-Mora , ME. (2009). Methodology used in a systematic review of evidence on the prevalence of cocaine use and dependence. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group. Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 15. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Nelson, P., McLaren, J., Degenhardt, L., Bucello, C., Calabria, B., Roberts, A., Briegleb, C., Clark, N., and Wiessing, L. (2009). Methodology used in a systematic review of evidence on the prevalence of heroin/opioid use and dependence. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group. Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 16. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Briegleb, C., Vos, T., Hall, W., Lynskey, M., Callaghan, B., Rana, U., & McLaren, J. (2009). "Remission" from illicit drug dependence: Systematic reviews of prospective studies investigating the course of amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine and opioid dependence. Global Burden of Disease Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert group. Illicit drugs discussion paper No. 17. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW: Sydney.
Baxter A, Somerville A, Pham A, Ventura A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Anxiety Disorders. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Baxter A, Somerville A, Pham A, Ventura A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Schizophrenia. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Pham A, Baxter A, Somerville A, Ventura A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates for: Depressive Disorders. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Pham A, Baxter A, Ventura A, Somerville A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Bipolar Disorder. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Somerville A, Baxter A, Nelson P, Pham A, Ventura A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Conduct Disorders. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Somerville A, Baxter A, Pham A, Ventura A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Nelson P, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Ventura A, Baxter A, Pham A, Somerville A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Eating Disorders. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Ventura A, Baxter A, Somerville A, Pham A, Scheurer R, Calabria B, McLaren J, Roberts A, Degenhardt L and Whiteford H: for the Mental Disorders and Illicit Drug Use Expert Group (2008). Summary of data collected and decision rules used in making regional and global estimates: Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
The GBD study will provide four key benefits as a source of accurate knowledge and a vital tool for informed decision-making.
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