Global Health and the Global Burden of Disease

This chapter defines terms used to describe the health of populations, such as incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. It introduces the concept of the burden of disease: that is, the quantity and impact of diseases and conditions that affect the health of populations. The Global Burden of Disease project, first launched in 1990 by the World Health Organization (WHO) seeks to measure disease burden on a regular basis. This chapter also examines the epidemiological transition, a concept that describes changes in causes of morbidity and mortality associated with economic development. The limitations of this concept and the need to address the entirety of the disease burden and achieve Universal Health Coverage are also discussed.