Neurological disorders in the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study

Abstract

Background: The Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) is a large international initiative to collect and systematize data on disease burden expressed in non-economic terms, to allow comparisons across different disease conditions and countries.

Objectives: To use data from the large GBD 2010 database to determine the importance of neurological disorders in Norway, and to compare it with global data on the same disorders.

Materials and methods: Relevant data were extracted from the Lancet publication from December 2012, and from the interactive website of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation on GBD.

Results: Neurological disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, migraine and tension-type headache, other neurological disorders) account for 5-6% of the disease burden in Norway, which is more than it does globally. When also stroke, low back pain and neck pain are included, 10% of the disease burden in Norway is represented by neurological disorders.

Conclusions: Neurological disorders are of great public health importance. This knowledge is useful in dimensioning and organizing healthcare systems and necessary when planning education of health personnel on all levels.

Keywords: Norway; global burden of disease; neurology; public health.