Department of Health, State Government of Victoria
State Government Victoria
Victorian Government Health Information
Victorian Health Information Surveillance System (VHISS)
ReturnReturn to Health Status  Skip Navigation Links  
 Home
Skip Navigation Links.
 Feedback
Ranking of DALY and top 50 causes, 1996
Click Information for more information
Region(s)/LGAs
  Region
  LGA
Gender(s)
   
Ranking of DALY and top 50 causes, 1996
Definition
The DALY is a measure of the disease burden in a population combining the loss of years of life due to premature mortality and the loss of healthy years of life due to disease or injury. One DALY can be thought of as one lost year of healthy life. The DALY is a so-called health gap measure. This means that the burden of disease is measured as the gap between the current health status of the population and an ideal where everyone lives into old age; free of disease or injury. The term disability is used quite broadly; in this sense; to include all departures from complete health due to disease or injury.
Interpretation
The DALY estimates provide insight into the potential for further health gain at the population level. The total burden estimates portray the relative ranking of the importance of the major diseases confronting the populations in LGAs. However; the burden of disease is an estimate of health status; which cannot be divorced from past and present efforts to address the health needs of the population. The burden attributable to many diseases is small; due to the continuing successful health programs to contain and address these conditions. This is particularly true of maternal and early childhood conditions; along with certain infectious diseases. Other diseases such as cardiovascular disease; cancer and mental disorders; continue to be major contributors to the overall burden of disease despite efforts to prevent and treat them. A detailed breakdown by age and sex is provided.
Methodology
To calculate the DALYs for a given disease or injury in the population for a particular year; the years of life lost (YLL) through premature death due to that condition are estimated and added to the estimated years of life lived with disability (YLD) due to non-fatal new cases of the condition. 1996 is the year these estimates relate to. Greater detail is provided under the Methodology explanatory button for YLL and YLD.
 
 
Last updated: 02 November 2020
This web site is managed and authorised by the Victorian Agency for Health Information, Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian State Government, Australia