Global burden of disease

In the next two steps we explore the changes that have taken place in the global burden of disease.

By exploring the data we will support you in identifying what is happening globally, why it is happening and how this impacts on health. This will then enable you to understand the impact that this could have for the future of public health.

As a nurse in practice, it is sometimes difficult to find the time to think outside of your own sphere of work. Therefore, the aim of these steps is to help you to understand health in a global context and what the future may hold for your work by exploring the changes that have taken place in the burden of disease, identifying global high-risk factors for disease and explaining the work carried out on the global burden of disease survey.

Over time, globally, we have seen changes take place in the types of diseases and conditions that result in ill-health and mortality. As we saw when we considered the social determinants of health, there are a range of factors that can impact health, including socio-economic position, environmental conditions, distribution of food supply, scientific knowledge and healthcare.

Your task

Look at the World Health Chart, which shows how life expectancy has changed over the past 200 years.

Take the Gapminder Test 2018 to check your understanding of global issues relating to the change in the global burden of disease. Share how you got on in the comments section.

Please note: there’s optional data collection at the end of the Gapminder test which you are not required to complete.