The global burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of moratality and disability from diseases injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020

This booklet is a summary of "The Global Burden of Disease: A Comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability from Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in 1990 and Projected to 2020." It presents estimates of the mortality and disability proportion that can be attributed to certain risk factors for diseases, including tobacco, poor water and sanitation, and unsafe sex. Overall results of the assessment of global health needs show that the epidemiological transition is already well advanced, suggesting that public health policy, with its traditional emphasis on infectious disease, has not kept pace with events. Since the study is a 10-volume series, this booklet will present the key findings of volume I. The first section summarizes the concepts and methods involved in developing a single measure of health status. Sections 2-5 present the results of the 1990 assessments and section 6 summarizes the 2020 projections. The final section provides details and samples of the content of volumes I and II.