Jakob Gerstl

Pronouns

He/Him/His

Job Title

Research Fellow

Academic Rank

Research Fellow

Department

Neurosurgery

Authors

Jakob V. E. Gerstl, Alexander Yearley, Philipp Lassarén, John L. Kilgallon, Marc N. El Koussa, Anam N. Ehsan, Bathabile E. Khumalo, Noah L. A. Nawabi, Joshua D. Bernstock, Edward R. Laws, Kavitha Ranganathan, Timothy R. Smith

Principal Investigator

Timothy R. Smith

Research Category: PCERC/Health Policy/Outcomes

An online calculator to monitor the global macroeconomic burden of 369 disease causes using a value of lost welfare approach

Scientific Abstract

Objective: To create an online calculator allowing for estimation of macroeconomic losses for a wide set of disease causes in a wide set of countries under custom assumptions.

Methods: Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for 369 disease causes were collected from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database. DALY data were combined with value of statistical life data and gross domestic product (GDP) data to estimate macroeconomic losses in 173 countries using a value of lost welfare (VLW) approach.

Findings: The online tool can be accessed at: https://ayearley.shinyapps.io/app_all_dalys/. In 2019, ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of welfare losses in Central Europe, Eastern and Central Asia (VLW/GDP = 5.3%), high income regions (VLW/GDP = 2.0%) and in North Africa and the Middle East (VLW/GDP = 2.6%). Interpersonal violence was the leading cause of welfare losses in Latin America and Caribbean (VLW/GDP = 1.7%), neonatal disorders in South Asia (VLW/GDP = 2.6%), stroke in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania (VLW/GDP = 2.8), and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa (VLW/GDP = 6.0%).

Conclusion: The tool allows users to estimate and compare welfare losses of for a wide array of disease causes, countries, and assumptions to allow stakeholders to optimise capital allocation.

Lay Abstract

Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development outlined the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and was launched by the United Nations (UN) in September 2015. In order to monitor progress and effectively allocate resources to meet health related SDGs, it is important to effectively allocate limited resources. To guide such resource allocation, policy makers need accurate estimates of the economic cost of different diseases. The aim of this study was to develop a free online tool to estimate the economic cost of 369 disease causes in 173 countries.

The online tool can be accessed at: https://ayearley.shinyapps.io/app_all_dalys/. Across the study period 2000 to 2019 there was a decrease in economic cost in all regions studies. The biggest decreases in economic cost occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Ischaemic heart disease, interpersonal violence, neonatal disorders, stroke and HIV/AIDS were leading drivers of economic cost globally.

Clinical Implications

To meet health related sustainable development goals, effective allocation of limited resources is essential. The tool allows users to estimate welfare losses of for a wide set of disease causes, countries, and assumptions to allow to optimised capital allocation.

An online calculator to monitor the global macroeconomic burden of 369 disease causes using a value of lost welfare approach

Scientific Abstract

Lay Abstract

Clinical Implications

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