QALY losses for chronic diseases and its social distribution in the general population: results from the Belgian Health Interview Survey

Abstract Background The burden of chronic diseases is rapidly rising, both in terms of morbidity and mortality. This burden is disproportionally carried by socially disadvantaged population subgroups. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) measure the impact of disease on mortality and morbidity into a single index. This study aims to estimate the burden of chronic diseases in terms of QALY losses and to model its social distribution for the general population. Methods The Belgian Health Interview Survey 2013 and 2018 provided data on self-reported chronic conditions for a nationally representati... Mehr ...