Disability-adjusted life year [DALY]
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The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a measure used in health economics. It represents the ‘burden’ of a disease, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability, or early death. One DALY can be thought of as one lost year of ‘healthy’ life.
The total of DALYs across a population can also be thought of as a measurement of the gap between the population’s current health status and an ideal situation in which every person enjoys perfect health into old age.
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