Measures Of Health

Question 1

Burden of disease (VCAA)

Answer 1

A measure of the impact of diseases and injuries; specifically it measures the gap between current health status and an ideal situation where everyone lives to an old age free of disease and disability.

Burden of disease is measured in a unit called the DALY.

Question 2

Trends

Answer 2

A general movement or pattern in the general occurrence of data.

Question 3

LYD’S

Years lost due to disability

Answer 3

A measure of how many ‘healthy’ years of life are lost due to illness, injury or disability.

Question 4

YLL

Years of life lost

Answer 4

A measure of how many years of expected life are lost due to premature death.

Question 5

Life expectancy

Answer 5

An indication of how long a person can expect to live; it is the number of years of life remaining to a person at a particular age if death rates do not change.

Males - 80

Females - 85

Question 6

‘DALY’S’

Disability adjusted life year (VCAA)

Answer 6

A measure of burden of disease. One DALY equals one year of healthy life lost due to premature death and time lived with illness, disease or injury.

DALY’S = YLL + YLD