Practical guidance for assessment of disease burden at national and local levels

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WHO has coordinated the preparation of practical guidance for the estimation of disease burden at national or local levels for selected environmental and occupational risk factors. This guidance is compiled in the "Environmental Burden of Disease Series" and contains the scientific basis for the estimates, as well as a step-by-step approach and a numerical example to assist scientists in the estimation of the size of an environmental health problem in a selected area. Such a quantified estimate of an environmental impact on a population should be an input to decision-making for setting policies or defining protective measures, and serve for public information.

Find the environmental health status of your country!

Environmental burden of disease: Country profiles

Download the volumes

• Introduction and methods: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 1
• Lead: Assessing the environmental burden of disease
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 2
• Sharps injuries: Global burden of disease from sharps injuries to health-care workers
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 3
• Indoor smoke from solid fuels: Assessing the environmental burden of disease
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 4
• Outdoor air pollution: assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 5
• Occupational carcinogens: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 6
• Occupational airborne particulates: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 7
• Burden of disease attributable to selected environmental factors and injuries among Europe's children and adolescents
  Environmental Burden od Disease Series No. 8
• Occupational noise: Assessing the burden of disease from work-related hearing impairment at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 9
• Poverty: Assessing the distribution of health risks by socioeconomic position at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 10
• Sharps injuries: Assessing the burden of disease from sharps injuries to health-care workers at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series No. 11
• Malnutrition: Quantifying the health impact at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of diseases series, No. 12
• Solar ultraviolet radiation: Global burden of disease from solar ultraviolet radiation
  Environmental Burden of Disease Series, No. 13
• Climate change: Quantifying the health impact at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 14
• Water, sanitation and hygiene: Quantifying the health impact at national and local levels in countries with incomplete water supply and sanitation coverage
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 15
• Mercury: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 16
• Solar ultraviolet radiation: Assessing the environmental burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 17
• Second hand smoke: Assessing the burden of disease at national and local levels
  Environmental burden of disease series, No. 18
• Burden of disease from environmental noise - Quantification of healthy life years lost in Europe
  Environmental burden of disease from noise in Europe - WHO EURO

• Environmental burden of disease from noise in Europe
• Environmental burden of disease associated with inadequate housing
  Methods for quantifying health impacts of selected housing risks in the WHO European Region

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets containing the various calculation steps presented in the guidance document are available for selected risk factors (Lead, indoor air, outdoor air, sharps injuries in health-care workers).

Assistance and spreadsheets can be requested at the email address below.

Feedback

We are interested in your feedback regarding:

• Any applications of the proposed environmental burden of disease methods you are performing in your country or area
• Any suggestions you may have to improve the method/ any difficulties you encounter.

Please contact us at EBDassessment@who.int.