Abstract
BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for over 90% of all deaths in the Cypriot population, in 2018. However, a detailed and comprehensive overview of the impact of NCDs on population health of Cyprus over the period of 1990 to 2017, expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), is currently not available. Knowledge about the drivers of changes in NCD DALYs over time is paramount to identify priorities for the prevention of NCDs in Cyprus and guide evidence-based decision making. The objectives of this paper were to: 1) assess the burden of NCDs in terms of years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and DALYs in Cyprus in 2017, and 2) identify changes in the burden of NCDs in Cyprus over the 28-year period and assess the main drivers of these changes.MethodsWe performed a secondary database descriptive study using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 results on NCDs for Cyprus from 1990 to 2017. We calculated the percentage change of age-standardized DALY rates between 1990 and 2017 and decomposed these time trends to assess the causes of death and disability that were the main drivers of change.ResultsIn Cyprus in 2017, 83% (15,129 DALYs per 100,000; 12,809 to 17,707 95%UI) of total DALYs were due to NCDs. The major contributors to NCD DALYs were cardiovascular diseases (16.5%), neoplasms (16.3%), and musculoskeletal disorders (15.6%). Between 1990 and 2017, age-standardized NCD DALY rates decreased by 23%. For both males and females, the largest decreases in DALY rates were observed in ischemic heart disease and stroke. For Cypriot males, the largest increases in DALY rates were observed for pancreatic cancer, drug use disorders, and acne vulgaris, whereas for Cypriot females these were for acne vulgaris, psoriasis and eating disorders.ConclusionDespite a decrease in the burden of NCDs over the period from 1990 to 2017, NCDs are still a major public health challenge. Implementation of interventions and early detection screening programmes of modifiable NCD risk factors are needed to reduce occurrence and exacerbation of leading causes of NCDs in the Cypriot population.
Highlights
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for over 90% of all deaths in the Cypriot population, in 2018
Mental disorders and neurological disorders were major causes of the NCD Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) in 2017 in Cyprus; mental disorders were responsible for 11.4% of NCD DALYs (1732 DALYs per 100,000; 1284 to 2239 95%Uncertainty Interval (UI)), and neurological disorders for 9.9% (1503 DALYs per 100,000; 1136 to 1932 95%UI)
Headache disorders were responsible for 6.0% (909 DALYs per 100,000; 600.4 to 1294 95%UI) and 5% of total NCD DALYs were due to diabetes (756 DALYs per 100,000; 601.8 to 943.7 95%UI)
Summary
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for over 90% of all deaths in the Cypriot population, in 2018. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major cause of death and disability worldwide [1]. In Cyprus, a high-income country and a member state of the European Union (EU), NCDs have posed an even greater burden on population health. Cyprus has the highest relative disease burden from diabetes (4.6%), publishes proportionally less (1.2%) with almost half of research output dedicated to Type 2 diabetes, compared to the rest of the European countries (including the UK) [2]. As Cyprus has life expectancy at 82.2 years of age (amongst the highest life expectancy at birth between European countries) [9], the ageing population is more likely to have more than one chronic disease, with further imposed health burdens for the individual and healthcare associated costs to the society
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