Policy Brief Series of the Ministry of Social Affairs No /2009 eng Burden of Disease of Estonian Population

The burden of disease methodology describes the gap between the best possible and actual state of health of the population. Burden of disease calculations are based on morbidity and mortality statistics, disease severity assessments and the age of persons at the time of death. As a result a more comprehensive picture of morbidity and mortality effects on population health is achieved in comparison to what is commonly available from traditional health statistics. This policy brief uses the most recent burden of disease data from 2006 and gives a short overview on the topic with the most important age, gender, regional and disease distributions presented. Moreover, the current policy brief is a first-time attempt to provide an introduction to possible links between socioeconomic factors and burden of disease.