Biography
Harvey Whiteford, MBBS, MPH, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry and Population Mental Health at the University of Queensland, Australia and an Affiliate Professor of Global Health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, where he is responsible for the mental and substance use disorder component of the Global Burden of Disease studies. He also leads the Policy and Epidemiology Group at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and is the Chief Investigator for an Australian Centre for Research Excellence in mental health systems improvement.
Dr. Whiteford trained in medicine, psychiatry, and health policy in Queensland and at Stanford University in California. He has held senior clinical and administrative positions including those of Director of Mental Health in the Queensland and federal governments in Australia. He was the first mental health specialist appointed to the World Bank and worked in the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector of the Human Development Network in Washington, DC, assisting low- and middle-income countries to improve their mental health, substance abuse, and neurological services. He has worked on mental health reform with national governments in Europe, Africa, and Asia and with the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Santomauro DF, Purcell C, Whiteford HA, et al. Grading disorder severity and averted burden by access to treatment within the GBD framework: a case study with anxiety disorders. The Lancet Psychiatry. April 2023. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00037-8.
Moitra M, Santomauro D, Collins P, Vos T, Whiteford H, Saxena S, Ferrari A. The global gap in treatment coverage for major depressive disorder in 84 countries from 2000–2019: A systematic review and Bayesian meta-regression analysis. PLOS Medicine. 15 February 2022. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003901.
Santomauro DF, Melen S, Mitchison D, Vos T, Whiteford H, Ferrari AJ. The hidden burden of eating disorders: an extension of estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Psychiatry. 3 March 2021. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00040-7.
India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Mental Disorders Collaborators. The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2017. The Lancet Psychiatry. 20 December 2019. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30475-4.
Charlson F, van Ommeren M, Flaxman A, Cornett J, Whiteford H, Saxena S. New WHO prevalence estimates of mental disorders in conflict settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. 11 Jun 2019. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934-1.
GBD 2017 Child and Adolescent Health Collaborators. Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in Child and Adolescent Health, 1990 to 2017. JAMA Pediatrics. 29 April 2019. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.0337.
GBD 2016 Neurology Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of neurological disorders, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Neurology. 14 March 2019. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30499-X.
Naghavi M., on behalf of the Global Burden of Disease Self-Harm Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of suicide mortality 1990 to 2016: systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. BMJ. 6 Feb 2019; 364:I94. doi:10.1136/bmj.l94.
GBD 2017 Mortality Collaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1684-735. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31891-9.
GBD 2017 Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1736-88. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32203-7.
GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1789–858. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32279-7.
GBD 2017 DALYs and HALE Collaborators. Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 359 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1859–922. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32335-3.
GBD 2017 Risk Factor Collaborators. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1923-94. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32225-6.
GBD 2017 SDG Collaborators. Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018; 392:2091–138. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32281-5.
GBD 2017 Population and Fertility Collaborators. Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 8 Nov 2018;392:1995-2051. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32278-5.
Global Research of Developmental Disabilities Collaborators. Developmental disabilities among children younger than 5 years in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Global Health. 29 Aug 2018. doi:
GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators. Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 23 Aug 2018. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31310-2
GBD 2016 Greece Collaborators. The burden of disease in Greece, health loss, risk factors, and health financing, 2000–16: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Public Health. 25 July 2018. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30130-0.
GBD 2016 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators. Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 23 May 2018.
US Burden of Disease Collaborators. The State of US Health, 1990-2016: Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Among US States. JAMA. 10 April 2018; 319(14):1-33. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.0158
India State-level Disease Burden Initiative Collaborators. Nations within a nation: variations in epidemiological transition across the states of India, 1990–2016 in the Global Burden of Disease Study. The Lancet. 13 Nov 2017. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32804-0
GBD 2016 Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex specific mortality for 264 causes of death, 1980–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 14 Sept 2017: 390;1151–210.
GBD 2016 DALYs and HALE Collaborators. Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 333 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 14 Sept 2017: 390;1260-344.
GBD 2016 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 14 Sept 2017: 390; 1211–59.
GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 14 Sept 2017: 390;1345-1422.
GBD 2016 SDG Collaborators. Measuring progress and projecting attainment on the basis of past trends of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet. 12 Sept 2017: 390; 1423–59.
GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Collaborators. Danger ahead: the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors 3 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990–2015. International Journal of Public Health. 7 Aug 2017.
GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Collaborators. Adolescent health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. International Journal of Public Health. 7 Aug 2017.
GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Collaborators. Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. International Journal of Public Health. 7 Aug 2017.
GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Collaborators. The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study. International Journal of Public Health. 7 Aug 2017.
GBD 2015 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators. Healthcare Access and Quality Index based on mortality from causes amenable to personal healthcare in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2015: a novel analysis from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. The Lancet. 2017 May 18.
The Global Burden of Disease Child and Adolescent Health Collaboration. Child and adolescent health from 1990 to 2015: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2015 Study. JAMA Pediatrics. 2017;171(6):1-21. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0250.
Charara R, Forouzanfar M, Naghavi M, et al. The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990–2013. PLOS ONE. 2017 Jan 17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169575.
Charlson F, Dieleman JL, Singh L, Whiteford H. Donor financing of global mental health, 1995-2015: an assessment of trends, channels, and alignment with disease burden. PLOS ONE. 2017;12(2):0172259. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169384.
GBD 2015 Risk Factors Collaborators. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioral, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet. 2016 Oct 7; 388:1659–1724.
GBD 2015 DALYs and HALE Collaborators. Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 315 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE), 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet. 2016 Oct 7; 388:1603–1658.
GBD 2015 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet. 2016 Oct 7; 388:1459–1544.
GBD 2015 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet. 2016 Oct 7; 388:1545–1602.
Lim SS, Allen K, Bhutta ZA, et al. Measuring the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: a baseline analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. The Lancet. 2016 Sep 21. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31467-2.
Degenhardt L, Charlson F, Stanaway J, Larney S, Alexander LT, Hickman M, Cowie B, Hall WD, Strang J, Whiteford H, Vos T. Estimating the burden of disease attributable to injecting drug use as a risk factor for HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2016 Sept 20.
Charlson FJ, Baxter AJ, Cheng HG, Shidhaye R, Whiteford HA. The burden of mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in China and India: a systematic analysis of community representative epidemiological studies. The Lancet. 2016 May 18. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30590-6.
Kyu HH, Pinho C, Wagner JA, et al. Global and national burden of diseases and injuries among children and adolescents between 1990 and 2013: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study. JAMA Pediatrics. 2015 Jan 25. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4276.
Forouzanfar MH, Alexander L, Anderson HR, et al. Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioral, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2015 Sep 11. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61455-6.
Murray CJL, Barber RM, Foreman KJ, et al. Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990–2013: quantifying the epidemiological transition. The Lancet. 2015 Aug 27. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61340-X.
Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2015 June 8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60692-4.
Whiteford HA, Degenhardt L, Rehm J, Baxter AJ, Ferrari AJ, Erskine HE, Charlson FJ, Norman RE, Flaxman AD, Johns N, Burstein R, Murray CJL, Vos T. Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet. 2013 Nov 9; 382:1575-1586. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61611-6.
Ferrari AJ, Charlson FJ, Norman RE, Patten SB, Freedman G, Murray CJL, Vos T, Whiteford HA. Burden of depressive disorders by country, sex, age, and year: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. PLoS Medicine. 2013; 10(11):e1001547. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001547.
Degenhardt L, Whiteford HA, Ferrari AJ, Baxter AJ, Charlson FJ, Hall WD, Freedman G, Burstein R, Johns N, Engell RE, Flaxman A, Murray CJL, Vos T. Global burden of disease attributable to illicit drug use and dependence: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet. 2013 Aug 29. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61530-5.