Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data are freely available to the world’s researchers and policymakers. All global, regional, national, and in some cases subnational estimates of the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors from GBD 2016 can be downloaded from current GBD data visualizations and the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx), IHME’s catalog of the world’s health and demographic data.
Since the release of GBD 2015 publications and estimates in September 2016, the GBD study has been fully aligned with the suggestions outlined in the Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER) statement. GATHER defines best practices for documenting studies that synthesize evidence from multiple sources to quantitatively describe past and current population health and its determinants. These practices include documenting and sharing data inputs, analyses and methods, and results. Documenting the input data on which estimates are based, and the methods by which estimates are derived, is essential for the accurate interpretation and use of results. For more information, visit the GATHER website.
Information about GBD data inputs can be found using our GBD Data Input Sources Tool in the GHDx. The tool allows users to explore the input sources to GBD based on various criteria, and to export the results. The tool includes exhaustive metadata about each input source including reference information; population, sex, and age range represented; and sample size where relevant. All listed input sources are cataloged in the GHDx, and links to the original provider of the datasets are given whenever possible.
Information about GBD analyses and methods can be found in our research publications, some current data visualizations like MortViz, and An Integrative Metaregression Framework for Descriptive Epidemiology, an in-depth explanation of IHME's disease modeling process.
GBD results can be found in our research publications, current data visualizations, and the GBD Results Tool in the GHDx, which allows users to select, view, and download GBD results data. Another tool, GBD Compare, lets users explore results in a more visual manner, such as by contrasting countries and seeing how their health profiles change over time.