Neglecting the neglected: the objective evidence of underfunding in rheumatic heart disease

Colin K Macleod; Philip Bright; Andrew C Steer; Jerome Kim; David Mabey; Tom Parks

doi:10.1093/trstmh/trz014

Neglecting the neglected: the objective evidence of underfunding in rheumatic heart disease

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2019 May 1;113(5):287-290. doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trz014.

Authors

Colin K Macleod¹, Philip Bright², Andrew C Steer³, Jerome Kim⁴, David Mabey¹, Tom Parks¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK.
² Department of Immunology, Royal Free Hospital, 10 Pond St, Hampstead, London, UK.
³ Division of Infection and Immunity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville, Australia.
⁴ International Vaccine Institute, SNU Research Park, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

Abstract

Background: Despite the substantial global burden of disease, rheumatic heart disease research receives little funding globally.

Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study and funding from the G-FINDER database, we propose a novel logarithmic disability neglect index (DNI) to describe disease burden using disability-adjusted life years relative to funding for 16 major tropical diseases.

Results: Across a range of diseases, rheumatic heart disease received the least funding relative to disease burden (DNI=3.83). Other diseases facing similar underfunding include cysticercosis (DNI=2.71) and soil-transmitted helminths (DNI=2.41).

Conclusions: Rheumatic heart disease remains severely underfunded relative to disease burden.

Keywords: DALYs; burden; funding; neglect; rheumatic heart disease.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Capital Financing*
Communicable Diseases / economics*
Cost of Illness
Global Health
Humans
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Rheumatic Heart Disease / economics*