Introduction
Burden of disease analysis produces comparable and concise policy-relevant evidence on the impact of disease, injuries and risks on the population. A key strength of burden of disease is the ability to collate and use data from various sources to develop an internally consistent measure for all diseases. However, as methods used in burden of disease analyses have become increasingly complex over time, the increased complexity makes it much harder to explain the methods, and can result in decreased clarity for stakeholders.
This report describes, as far as practicable, the methods and assumptions used by the Australian Burden of Disease Study (ABDS) 2018 to quantify the fatal and non-fatal effects and causes of diseases and injuries in the Australian population in 2018, 2015, 2011 and 2003; and the Indigenous Australian population in 2018, 2011 and 2003.
It was developed to provide transparency of data, assumptions and methods and is a companion publication to:
- Australian Burden of Disease Study 2018—key findings and
- Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018 and
- Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018—summary report and
- Australian Burden of Disease Study 2018: key findings for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and
- Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2018 and
- Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2018—summary report.