Event

Starting from Square One: An Equity Model of Burden of Disease

In follow-up to the development of methods and concept papers, NCCID explored gaps and potential for an alternate model of burden of disease (BOD). This Public Health 2015 workshop included short presentations and group work to engage participants in creative, analytical exercises to unpack standard methods and discourses on BOD, and to help shape a novel model and framework for assessing disease burden. Facilitated discussion centred on a model’s potential for prompting sufficiently inclusive and fair measurement of outcomes attributable to influenza, for associating upstream determinants with the burden of influenza, and for identifying burden that may be modifiable through public health intervention. Participants had the option of providing their perspectives on questions and considerations that should be taken into account in developing a broader and deeper framework for the measurement of burden of disease, and its relevance for their role in health assessment or public health decision-making. A full-group discussion considered the utility of such an approach for prioritizing public health interventions and reducing health inequities.

Learning Objectives:
  • Distinguish commonality and/or variability in the discourse on burden of disease.
  • Define standard methods used to estimate the burden of disease.
  • Identify gaps and limitations in standard methods to estimate BOD, with consideration of applications in public health and infectious disease control.
  • Assess potential for a new model of BOD as a broader and deeper framework for analysis of infectious disease priorities for public health, with consideration of upstream determinants and equity.
Speakers:
  • Margaret Haworth-Brockman, Senior Program Manager, NCCID
  • Harpa Isfeld-Kiely, Senior Project Manager, NCCID
Workshop Facilitator:

Joel Kettner, Scientific Director, NCCID