Trend Analysis for Notifiable Infectious Diseases Assessed in Taiwan in 2007 and 2017 Using Disability-Adjusted Life Years

Purpose: This study uses disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure developed by the World Health Organization, to quantify the disease burden from notifiable infectious diseases in 2007 and 2017 in Taiwan, and explores the factors that cause changes in the burden of disease. Methods: Statistical data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of the Interior were used to estimate the DALYs of notifiable infectious diseases, and divide them by transmission route, including sexual contact and blood transmission, air or droplet transmission, food and water-borne transmission, insect-borne infections, and contact transmission, to further discuss the relevant interplay between each route of infection and age and gender. Results: In 2007, the burden of disease was 880.93 DALYs per million population. In 2017, it was 1,002.18 DALYs, 121.27 DALYs higher than in 2007. Years of life lost accounted for about 80% of DALYs in both years, and tuberculosis was the disease that caused the most DALYs. In terms of transmission routes, sexual contact and blood transmission changed the most, with an increase of 28% in 2017 compared to 2007. There were no significant changes in food and water-borne transmission, insect-borne infection, or contact transmission. Additionally, there were gender and age differences in sexual contact and blood transmission and air or droplet transmission. The burden of sexual contact and blood-borne diseases was mainly concentrated in young people, while the air or droplet infection route affected older adults. Males showed a greater burden of disease for these transmission routes. Conclusion: An accurate estimate of the burden of infectious diseases can be used as a basis for public health policy formulation and to determine health planning priorities. The calculation of the burden of disease in this study can be used as a reference.