Abstract

SEUC JO, Armando H; DOMINGUEZ, Enma  and  GALAN ALVAREZ, Yaíma. Esperanza de vida ajustada por cáncer. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2003, vol.41, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3003.

Cancer is one of the chronic non-communicable diseases of highest impact due to its morbidity and mortality. In Cuba, as regards morbidity, this impact has not been quantified in a unique index that takes into account the relative severity of the different types of cancer and of their diverse stages. The disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) is a relatively recent indicator allowing to quantify the effect of morbidity from any disease, particularly cancer, over life expectancy. In this paper, some of the fundamental principles of the disability-adjusted life espectancy are discussed, and it is calculated for the specific case of cancer in 1990, 1995 and 2000, making possible to carry out a comparative study of the impact of morbidity due to this disease between males and females, and during the period comprised by these 3 years. It is observed that the negative effect of morbidty due to cancer over life expectancy in general increases along the studied period. Morbidity has a higher impact on males, who showed a greater loss of life expectancy by this cause than females in the 3 studied years. The burden of morbidity from cancer rises with age in every of the 3 years under study.

Keywords : LIFE EXPECTANCY; QUALITY OF LIFE; NEOPLASMS [epidemiology]; NEOPLASMS [mortality]; MORTALITY RATE; INDICATORS OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY.