Disability burden of skin diseases

Abstract

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injury, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) is a study that aims to quantify the worldwide health impacts of a number of diseases and risk factors. An article by Karimkhani et al from the 2013 iteration of the GBD study claimed that skin disease was the “fourth leading cause of nonfatal burden” worldwide; in other words, the fourth largest cause of disability. At 41.0 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), the impact of skin diseases ranked behind iron deficiency anaemia at 43.7 million DALYs, tuberculosis at 49.8 million DALYs, and sense organ diseases at 54.4 million DALYs. This was in agreement with an article by Hay et al from the 2010 iteration of the GBD study, where skin diseases were the fourth largest cause of disability in terms of years lost to disability (YLDs) at 33.7million YLDs, behind iron-deficiency anaemia at 42.5 million YLDs, major depressive disorder at 63.3 million YLDs, and lower back pain at 80.7 million YLDs. In this essay, I will aim to verify and discuss the accuracy of these assertions that skin diseases are the fourth largest cause of disability worldwide.