Overview

The Australian Burden of Disease Study 2015 provides updated estimates for over 200 diseases and injuries in Australia for 2015, 2011 and 2003.

Burden of disease measures the impact of living with illness and injury and dying prematurely. The summary measure ‘disability-adjusted life years’ (or DALY) measures the years of healthy life lost from death and illness.

More detailed estimates on burden of disease can be found under Disease burden: interactive data and Risk factors: interactive data.

Latest findings

11% reduction in total burden between 2003 and 2015 Australians suffered more burden from living with illness (50.4% of total burden) than from premature death (49.6%) 4.8 million years of healthy life lost in 2015, equivalent to 199 DALY per 1,000 people Risk factors contributing the most burden were tobacco use, overweight and obesity, and dietary risks Coronary heart disease, back pain, COPD, dementia and lung cancer were the top 5 diseases causing burden in 2015 38% of the burden of disease was preventable, being due to modifiable risk factors included in this study Australians suffered more burden from living with illness (50.4% of total burden) than from premature death (49.6%) The lowest socioeconomic group had a burden rate that was 1.5 times as high as that in the highest socioeconomic group 11% reduction in total burden between 2003 and 2015 Cancer and cardiovascular diseases were the 2 most burdensome disease groups in 2015 Remote and very remote areas experienced burden 1.4 times higher than Major cities 4.8 million years of healthy life was lost in 2015, equivalent to 199 DALY per 1,000 population Risk factors contributing the most burden were tobacco use, overweight & obesity, and dietary risks Remote and Very remote areas combined experienced a burden rate that was 1.4 times as high as that in Major cities 38% of the burden of disease was preventable, being due to the modifiable risk factors included in this study

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Highlights

4.8 millionyears lost to premature death or living with illness in 2015
65%of the disease burden was due to 5 disease groups; cancer, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal conditions, mental & substance use disorders, and injuries
1.4 timesthe rate of disease burden was experienced in Remote and very remote areas areas compared with Major cities
What is burden of disease?
38%of the disease burden in 2015 was preventable and due to modifiable risk factors included in the study
1.5 timesthe rate of disease burden was experienced in the lowest socioeconomic group compared with the highest socioeconomic group