Common values in assessing health outcomes from disease and injury: disability weights measurement study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010

A separate analysis of GBD disability weights indicated that they remained relatively stable across locations; however, this work was limited to the nine countries in which disability weights surveys were done.

“A separate analysis of GBD disability weights indicated that they remained relatively stable across locations; however this work was limited to the nine countries in which disability weights surveys were done.23, 24”

Previous work suggests that lay people from the general public provide the most balanced responses when evaluating lay descriptions of health states, as respondents tend to underestimate the disability of their health states.

“Previous work suggests that lay people from the general public provide the most balanced responses when evaluating lay descriptions of health states, as respondents tend to underestimate the disability of their health states.23”

Disability weights were derived from community surveys of the general population from Bangladesh, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Peru, Sweden, Tanzania, the Netherlands, and the USA, and an open internet survey available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

“Disability weights were derived from community surveys of the general population from Bangladesh, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Peru, Sweden, Tanzania, the Netherlands, and the USA, and an open internet survey available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.14, 15”

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe and disabling disorders worldwide, primarily because of very high mortality rates.

“Schizophrenia is often referred to as one of the most severe mental disorders, primarily because of the very high mortality rates of those with the disorder.”

In a large worldwide study, 220 disorders were assigned disability weights; schizophrenia in an acute state had a score of 0.76, the most severe of all 220.

“However, the most severe of all 220 disorders was schizophrenia in an acute state, with a score of 0.76.”

Disability weights in GBD do not vary by location and are generated by the reactions of survey participants to lay descriptions of relevant health states.

“Third, disability weights in GBD do not vary by location and are generated by the reactions of survey participants to lay descriptions of relevant health states.”

The strength of the correlation between disability weights was at least 0.9 across all surveys except in Bangladesh where it was 0.75.

“In spite of responses coming from a heterogeneous sample of individuals (e.g., a high proportion of highly educated individuals from the internet-based survey and the opposite from the population-based survey from Tanzania), the strength of the correlation between disability weights was at least 0·9 across all surveys except in Bangladesh where it was 0·75 [17].”

Disability weights came from a survey using international volunteer panels, telephone interviews, and a web tool, with consistency shown across six sources.

“Disability was derived from an analysis of the comparative impact of the direct disabling consequences of skin disease such as itch and disfigurement against other conditions through a disability weights survey, which involved the use of international panels of volunteers, a telephone-based survey, and a web-based tool.Consistency was demonstrated among all six sources (Salomon et al., 2012).”