Verifying the HALE measures of the Global Burden of Disease Study: Quantitative Methods Proposed

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple, transparent method to verify and compare WHO's HALE estimates using classical life table data and health state theory, providing immediate tools for health expectancy assessment.

Contribution

It proposes a straightforward model and Excel tool for verifying HALE estimates and applies health state function theory for enhanced comparisons.

Findings

Improved WHO HALE estimates in recent years

Validation of simple mortality-based model against WHO data

Development of an accessible Excel program for health expectancy calculations

Abstract

To verify the Global Burden of Disease Study and the provided healthy life expectancy (HALE) estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) we propose a very simple model based on the mortality {\mu}x of a population provided in a classical life table and a mortality diagram. We use the abridged life tables provided by WHO. Our estimates are compared with the HALE estimates for the World territories and the WHO countries. Even more we have developed the related simple program in Excel which provides immediately the Life Expectancy, the Loss of Healthy Life Years and the Healthy Life Expectancy estimate. We also apply the health state function theory to have more estimates and comparisons. The results suggest improved WHO estimates in recent years for the majority of the cases. Keywords: Health state function, Healthy life expectancy, Mortality Diagram, Loss of healthy years, LHLY, HALE, DALE, World Health Organization, WHO, Global burden of Disease, Health status.