Sex differences in disease burden in Norway: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: Sex differences in premature mortality is well documented, but we have less knowledge about sex differences in disability, how this varies across the life course, and what risk factors attribute to these differences. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019, we examined sex differences in diseases burden in Norway. METHODS: Data for years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs) and the sum of these two; disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), were extracted from GBD 2019 by sex and age groups, in addition to data on risk factors (data will be updated upon the release of GBD 2021). RESULTS: In 2019, the age-standardized DALY rate was similar in males (18 901, 95% CI 16 338-21 823) and females (18 165, 95% CI 14 875 - 21 791) in Norway. However, in women, a larger proportion of the disease burden was due to causes leading to years lived with disability (YLD), compared to in men. This was found across all age groups, starting in adolescence. A larger proportion of the disease burden among males could be attributed to known and preventable risk factors (41.0%, 95% CI 38.3-43.7) compared to in females (32.4%, 95% CI 29.3-35.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The total burden of disease is equally shared by men and women in Norway. However, women have a larger share of the total burden of years lived with disability. As we know much less about what contributes to disability compared to premature mortality, we also have less knowledge about the causes of disease burden in women. This in turn, affects our ability to develop targeted and effective health policies to address sex differences in disease burden. KEY MESSAGES: • Women carry a larger share of the total number of years lived with disability, while men have higher premature mortality. • We know less about how to prevent disease burden in women than in men.