An estimated 24% of the global disease burden and 23% of all deaths can be attributed to environmental factors.
Of the 102 major diseases, disease groupings and injuries covered by the World Health Report in
2004, environmental risk factors contributed to disease burden in 85 categories. The specific fraction of disease attributable to the environment varied widely across different disease conditions.
Globally, an estimated 24% of the disease burden (healthy life years lost) and an estimated 23% of all deaths (premature mortality) was attributable to environmental factors. Among children 0–14 years of age, the proportion of deaths attributed to the environment was as high as 36%. There were large regional differences in the environmental contribution to various disease conditions – due to differences in environmental exposures and access to health care across the regions. For example, although 25% of all deaths in developing regions were attributable to environmental causes, only 17% of deaths were attributed to such causes in developed regions. Although this represents a significant contribution to the overall disease burden, it is a conservative estimate because there is as yet no evidence for many diseases. Also, in many cases, the causal pathway between environmental hazard and disease outcome is complex. Where possible, attempts were made to capture such indirect health effects. For instance, malnutrition associated with waterborne diseases was quantified, as was disease burden related to aspects of physical inactivity attributable to environmental factors (e.g. urban design). But in other cases, disease burden was not quantifiable even though the health impacts are readily apparent. For instance, the disease burden associated with changed, damaged or depleted ecosystems in general was not quantified.
Diseases with the largest absolute burden attributable to modifiable environmental factors included: diarrhoea; lower respiratory infections; 'other' unintentional injuries; and malaria.
2004, environmental risk factors contributed to disease burden in 85 categories. The specific fraction of disease attributable to the environment varied widely across different disease conditions.
Globally, an estimated 24% of the disease burden (healthy life years lost) and an estimated 23% of all deaths (premature mortality) was attributable to environmental factors. Among children 0–14 years of age, the proportion of deaths attributed to the environment was as high as 36%. There were large regional differences in the environmental contribution to various disease conditions – due to differences in environmental exposures and access to health care across the regions. For example, although 25% of all deaths in developing regions were attributable to environmental causes, only 17% of deaths were attributed to such causes in developed regions. Although this represents a significant contribution to the overall disease burden, it is a conservative estimate because there is as yet no evidence for many diseases. Also, in many cases, the causal pathway between environmental hazard and disease outcome is complex. Where possible, attempts were made to capture such indirect health effects. For instance, malnutrition associated with waterborne diseases was quantified, as was disease burden related to aspects of physical inactivity attributable to environmental factors (e.g. urban design). But in other cases, disease burden was not quantifiable even though the health impacts are readily apparent. For instance, the disease burden associated with changed, damaged or depleted ecosystems in general was not quantified.
Diseases with the largest absolute burden attributable to modifiable environmental factors included: diarrhoea; lower respiratory infections; 'other' unintentional injuries; and malaria.
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