title: Health metrics for helminth infections.
abstract: Health metrics based on health-adjusted life years have become standard units for comparing the disease burden and treatment benefits of individual health conditions. The Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) and the Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) are the most frequently used in cost-effect analyses in national and global health policy discussions for allocation of health care resources. While sometimes useful, both the DALY and QALY metrics have limitations in their ability to capture the full health impact of helminth infections and other 'neglected tropical diseases' (NTDs). Gaps in current knowledge of disease burden are identified, and interim approaches to disease burden assessment are discussed.
authors: Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2109 Adelbert Road, BRB Room 422, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address: chk@cwru.edu.
authors: Charles H
authors: CH
authors: King
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
keywords: Burden of illness; Cost of illness; Disability; Helminthiasis; Quality of life; Schistosomiasis