1. Go to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Burden of Disease database
(http://www.healthmetricsandevaluation.org/gbd/country-profiles ) and identify three main causes of premature death in
2009 in a low- or middle-income country. You can choose any country from the link.
2. Additionally, identify which of the three causes of premature death led to the largest number of years of life lost (YLL) in
2009.
3. Research which three causes of premature death led to the largest number of years of life lost (YLL) in 2019.
Updated May 2021
4. Analyze and discuss any trends that you have identified in the 2009 and 2019 data sets. See here for information on the
meaning of YLL: http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006YearsOfLifeLost.pdf .
5. Look up data for two neighboring countries. What do these two countries have in common with your country, especially in
relation to the health system and socioeconomic development?
6. Discuss how these trends compare with the trend in your country. Suggest potential reasons for the differences or similarities
in the rate of change for the conditions between 2009 and 2019 in all three countries.
7. Identify the potential biases or issues within the data that could confound comparisons. Explain your reasoning.
8. Address ways in which leadership initiatives could be developed to address the burden of disease and any ethical or moral
dilemmas that may arise and how to address those issues.
