The Lancet recently published the 2015 Global Burden of Disease Capstone papers including articles on global mortality, years living with disability, disability-adjusted life-years, risk factors for disease, and a baseline analysis of health-related sustainable development goals. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015) brings together the most recent epidemiological data according to year, age, and sex from 195 countries and territories. It is the most comprehensive worldwide observational epidemiological study to date.
The Lancet editors noted, “There can be little doubt that factors such as education, access to clean water and sanitation, gender equality, and peace, justice, and strong civil institutions all have a profound impact on health. What is less clear, however, is how to analyze and measure these relationships. But measure them we must. Because what you don’t measure you don’t know, and what you don’t know you can’t act on. Good science is the start.”
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, assistant professor of the Washington University School of Medicine, was one of more than 1,800 collaborators from 120 countries who participated in the effort.