Methodology Protocol available on measuring burden of communicable diseasesArchived
European Union countries face the challenge of how to best allocate limited resources in healthcare protection and disease prevention to achieve maximum results. Measurement of the burden of diseases provides important evidence for health policy formulation. The freshly released Methodology Protocol outlines the methods for measuring the current and future burden of communicable diseases in the EU and EEA/EFTA countries.
The freshly released Methodology Protocoloutlines the methods for measuring the current and future burden of communicable diseases in the EU and EEA/EFTA countries. Using the approach described in the protocol, it is possible to obtain disease burden estimates that enable comparison among communicable diseases and an assessment of their relative impact on public health. Furthermore, the methods enable comparison with other factors affecting public health, both within and among the countries.
The burden of disease estimates will provide evidence-based information to facilitate prioritisation of future monitoring and intervention efforts for communicable diseases. Future work within the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) project will extend and improve the methods by taking temporal dynamics and demographic developments into account. Therefore this protocol should be seen as a working document that will be subject to change as the project progresses.
The Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) is a project funded by an ECDC grant and implemented by a European Consortium lead by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). It includes both academic centres and national health institutes with experts from all around Europe.
Please send comments and suggestions to BCoDE@ecdc.europa.eu
