Economics of Noncommunicable Diseases

ABSTRACT

[ABSTRACT]. The global health burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is large and growing, and this group of diseases already accounts for 70% of total deaths. Global evidence indicates that the high health burden of NCDs translates into significant economic and social costs that threaten to diminish the quality of life of millions of individuals, impoverish families, jeopardize universal health coverage, and increase health disparities within and between countries. Evidence consistently shows that the NCD epidemic cannot be tackled through interventions and policies in the health sector alone. In particular, prevention measures that address NCD risk factors involve a range of sectors including finance, trade, education, agriculture, and transportation. As economics has become the common language among decision makers across sectors, it is imperative that health authorities leverage economic information to more effectively communicate the urgency of tackling NCDs and related risk factors. This thematic issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health makes economic evidence available in the Americas to assist countries in integrating economic approaches into their NCD prevention and control policies.