TY - JOUR
T1 - The direct disease burden of COVID-19 in Belgium in 2020 and 2021
AU - Devleesschauwer, Brecht
AU - Willem, Lander
AU - Jurčević, Jure
AU - Smith, Pierre
AU - Scohy, Aline
AU - Wyper, Grant M. A.
AU - Pires, Sara Monteiro
AU - Van Goethem, Nina
AU - Beutels, Philippe
AU - Franco, Nicolas
AU - Abrams, Steven
AU - Van Cauteren, Dieter
AU - Speybroeck, Niko
AU - Hens, Niel
AU - De Pauw, Robby
N1 - Funding Information:
This study received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme - project EpiPose (Grant Agreement Number 101003688). This work reflects only the authors’ view. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Funding Information:
This study was conducted within the framework of the Belgian National Burden of Disease Study (BeBOD), coordinated by Sciensano, the Belgian institute for health.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Background: Burden of disease estimates have become important population health metrics over the past decade to measure losses in health. In Belgium, the disease burden caused by COVID-19 has not yet been estimated, although COVID-19 has emerged as one of the most important diseases. Therefore, the current study aims to estimate the direct COVID-19 burden in Belgium, observed despite policy interventions, during 2020 and 2021, and compare it to the burden from other causes. Methods: Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are the sum of Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) and Years of Life Lost (YLLs) due to disease. DALYs allow comparing the burden of disease between countries, diseases, and over time. We used the European Burden of Disease Network consensus disease model for COVID-19 to estimate DALYs related to COVID-19. Estimates of person-years for (a) acute non-fatal disease states were calculated from a compartmental model, using Belgian seroprevalence, social contact, hospital, and intensive care admission data, (b) deaths were sourced from the national COVID-19 mortality surveillance, and (c) chronic post-acute disease states were derived from a Belgian cohort study. Results: In 2020, the total number of COVID-19 related DALYs was estimated at 253,577 [252,541 − 254,739], which is higher than in 2021, when it was 139,281 [136,704 − 142,306]. The observed COVID-19 burden was largely borne by the elderly, and over 90% of the burden was attributable to premature mortality (i.e., YLLs). In younger people, morbidity (i.e., YLD) contributed relatively more to the DALYs, especially in 2021, when vaccination was rolled out. Morbidity was mainly attributable to long-lasting post-acute symptoms. Conclusion: COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in Belgium, especially in 2020, when COVID-19 would have been the main cause of disease burden if all other causes had maintained their 2019 level.
AB - Background: Burden of disease estimates have become important population health metrics over the past decade to measure losses in health. In Belgium, the disease burden caused by COVID-19 has not yet been estimated, although COVID-19 has emerged as one of the most important diseases. Therefore, the current study aims to estimate the direct COVID-19 burden in Belgium, observed despite policy interventions, during 2020 and 2021, and compare it to the burden from other causes. Methods: Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are the sum of Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) and Years of Life Lost (YLLs) due to disease. DALYs allow comparing the burden of disease between countries, diseases, and over time. We used the European Burden of Disease Network consensus disease model for COVID-19 to estimate DALYs related to COVID-19. Estimates of person-years for (a) acute non-fatal disease states were calculated from a compartmental model, using Belgian seroprevalence, social contact, hospital, and intensive care admission data, (b) deaths were sourced from the national COVID-19 mortality surveillance, and (c) chronic post-acute disease states were derived from a Belgian cohort study. Results: In 2020, the total number of COVID-19 related DALYs was estimated at 253,577 [252,541 − 254,739], which is higher than in 2021, when it was 139,281 [136,704 − 142,306]. The observed COVID-19 burden was largely borne by the elderly, and over 90% of the burden was attributable to premature mortality (i.e., YLLs). In younger people, morbidity (i.e., YLD) contributed relatively more to the DALYs, especially in 2021, when vaccination was rolled out. Morbidity was mainly attributable to long-lasting post-acute symptoms. Conclusion: COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in Belgium, especially in 2020, when COVID-19 would have been the main cause of disease burden if all other causes had maintained their 2019 level.
KW - Burden of disease
KW - COVID-19
KW - Disability-adjusted life years
KW - Years of life lost
KW - Years lived with disability
KW - Burden of disease
KW - COVID-19
KW - Disability-adjusted life years
KW - Years lived with disability
KW - Years of life lost
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169698180&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-023-16572-0
DO - 10.1186/s12889-023-16572-0
M3 - Article
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 23
JO - BMC public health
JF - BMC public health
IS - 1
M1 - 1707
ER -
