The burden and costs of chronic diseases in low-income and middle-income countries

Lancet. 2007 Dec 8;370(9603):1929-38. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61696-1.

Abstract

This paper estimates the disease burden and loss of economic output associated with chronic diseases-mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes-in 23 selected countries which account for around 80% of the total burden of chronic disease mortality in developing countries. In these 23 selected low-income and middle-income countries, chronic diseases were responsible for 50% of the total disease burden in 2005. For 15 of the selected countries where death registration data are available, the estimated age-standardised death rates for chronic diseases in 2005 were 54% higher for men and 86% higher for women than those for men and women in high-income countries. If nothing is done to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, an estimated US$84 billion of economic production will be lost from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes alone in these 23 countries between 2006 and 2015. Achievement of a global goal for chronic disease prevention and control-an additional 2% yearly reduction in chronic disease death rates over the next 10 years-would avert 24 million deaths in these countries, and would save an estimated $8 billion, which is almost 10% of the projected loss in national income over the next 10 years.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Chronic Disease* / economics
  • Chronic Disease* / epidemiology
  • Chronic Disease* / mortality
  • Cost of Illness*
  • Developing Countries / economics*
  • Developing Countries / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Global Health*
  • Humans
  • Life Expectancy*
  • Male
  • Registries
  • Sex Distribution