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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kevin D. Frick, PhD, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Rm. 606, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-4018, kfrick@jhsph.edu, Eva V. Basilion, SM, International Trachoma Initiative, 441 Lexington Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017-3910, Christy L Hanson, MPH, Africa Region, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, and Arantxa Colchero, BS, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Background: Prior calculations of the global burden of trachoma have expressed results in disability adjusted life years (DALYs) or handicapped adjusted life years. Objectives: To (1) re-estimate the global prevalence of trachomatous low vision and blindness; and (2) enumerate the productivity loss associated with trachomatous visual impairment. Methods: Nationally representative prevalence estimates were combined using Ranson and Evans’ (1995) methods to calculate the number of cases of trachomatous visual impairment and the age-gender distribution. The burden was expressed in lifetime age-weighted DALYs associated with prevalent cases and in annual dollars of productivity lost. The recalculation benefited from (1) two additional nationally representative studies, and (2) the development of a list of countries with known or suspected trachomatous blindness (at a meeting at the WHO prior to the formation of the Alliance for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma). Results: In countries with known or suspected blinding trachoma, the burden of trachoma in 2000 was projected to be 39 million DALYs. 25 million DALYs were associated with blindness, 14 million with low vision. Women experienced 80% of the DALYs. 72% of the DALYs were experienced in sub-Saharan Africa. Trachoma was associated with an annual productivity loss of nearly $3 billion (1998 US$)—more than the GDP of some countries in the analysis (e.g. Niger). The proportion of lost productivity that occurs in sub-Saharan Africa (70%) is slightly lower than the proportion of DALYs because of the relatively lower economic productivity. Conclusion: Trachoma’s burden represents an important ophthalmologic public health problem.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to
Keywords: Disability, Economic Analysis
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.