Methodologies for Economic Burden Assessments Using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Data: A Scoping Review

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study provides a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from major diseases, injuries, and risk factors. Increasingly, GBD estimates of prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are used as foundational inputs for evaluating the economic burden of disease. However, there is significant heterogeneity in how these epidemiological metrics are translated into economic costs. Methodological choices—such as the selection of cost components (direct medical, direct non-medical, indirect costs), costing techniques, data sources for unit costs, discounting practices, and modelling frameworks—can substantially influence the results and comparability of studies. A systematic mapping of these methodologies is lacking. This scoping review aims to chart the existing literature, describe key methodological characteristics, and identify common practices and gaps in economic burden studies based on GBD data.