In 2020, Archives of Public Health launched a new article collection focusing on the burden of disease. This collection aimed to provide a platform for discussing methodological challenges and advances in the burden of disease approach. Specifically, the aim of the collection was to receive manuscripts on the the following:
- Methodological challenges related to the burden of disease approach.
- Presentations of methodological advances in the burden of disease approach.
- Dealing with knowledge translation of burden of disease estimates.
- Novel burden of disease studies using the DALY metric.
In addition to the open call for manuscripts, we present a series of invited manuscripts that will take the reader from data to policy, and from theory to applications. A first set of invited manuscripts has now been published, providing unique insights in how the burden of disease approach has been applied across the world. First, we include a historical overview of the development, expansion and integration of the burden of disease approach at the World Health Organization. Finally, we have two reports from countries that have been at the forefront of implementing burden of disease approach at the national level – i.e., the Netherlands and Australia. These stories document the iterative, stepwise processes behind the translation of theory to applications, as well as challenges, but also success stories, in translating data to policies.
In addition to the invited manuscripts, several other burden of disease manuscripts have been published:
Fastl C, Devleesschauwer B, van Cauteren D, et al. The burden of legionnaires’ disease in Belgium, 2013 to 2017. Arch Public Health. 2020;78:92. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00470-7
Saxena N, Sethia D. Decomposition of years of life lost due to premature death (YLL): a method for spatial and temporal comparative assessment. Arch Public Health. 2020;78:91. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00472-5
Cuschieri S, Wyper GMA, Calleja N, et al. Measuring disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to low back pain in Malta. Arch Public Health. 2020;78:68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00451-w
Paalanen L, Reinikainen J, Härkänen T, et al. Comparing data sources in estimating disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a cross-sectional setting in Finland. Arch Public Health. 2020;78:58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00439-6
Wyper GMA, Assunção R, Cuschieri S, et al. Population vulnerability to COVID-19 in Europe: a burden of disease analysis. Arch Public Health. 2020;78:47. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00433-y
