The September issue of Health Affairs includes articles examining the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, both in the United States and elsewhere.
One of the studies in the issue is by Mohammed Ali at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health and coauthors titled "Tracking Global Mortality Over Thirty Years: A Mix of Increases and Decreases." It examines data on deaths as a result of ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, and common cancers across forty-nine countries using the World Health Organization's Mortality Database--finding that mortality for heart disease, stroke, and stomach and cervical cancers declined globally. From 1980 to 2012 diabetes and liver cancer deaths increased, as did chronic respiratory disease and lung cancer deaths among women. Compared to declines in high-income countries, low- and middle-income countries experienced increases in breast and colon cancer deaths and less impressive declines for other cancers, stroke, and heart disease. These country-level disparities may reflect differences in socioeconomic development and risk exposure, health care delivery, and societal-level policies. Since these diseases cumulatively account for half of global deaths, continued efforts are needed to monitor and address these conditions.
Also of interest in the issue:
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