Abstract

SEUC, Armando H  and  DOMINGUEZ, Emma. Introducción a la esperanza de vida ajustada por discapacidad. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2003, vol.41, n.2-3. ISSN 0253-1751.

The justification and the procedure of disability-adjusted life expectancy, an indicator that summarizes the health status of a population in a specially intuitive way, is presented. Coments are made on the interdependence between this indicator and the disability- adjusted life years (DALY), which are increasingly used at the national and international level to evaluate the burden of diseases and their sequelae, and the burden of the main risk factors propitiating these diseases and sequelae. The calculation procedure is illustrated by an example and the possible interpretations and analyses that can be made with this indicator are discussed. Finally, the main information requirements demanded by the adequate and periodical calculation of these indicators are dealt with..

Keywords : MORBIDITY; MORTALITY; QUALITY OF LIFE; DISABILITY; EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INDICATORS; RISK FACTORS.