Analysis of Different Methods for Assessing Years Lived with Disability(YLD) in Hangzhou City and Fuyang County

ObjectiveTo calculate the number of YLDs for a specific condition to assess the feasibility in China of one part of the process of determining disability weights.MethodsSix health conditions with different levels of disability were selected as indictor conditions to assess the method of assigning disability weights.ResultsThe disability weights assigned by these Chinese experts for lung cancer and schizophrenia were significantly different from those estimated by the GBD,the weights assigned for TB and stroke were not significantly different from the GBD values,and there were no comparable GBD disability weights for cataract and traffic accident.ConclusionsThis study did not find signficant differences in the reliability and validity of the six-level and seven-level disability classification system.The experience of conducting this study provides valuable information on the procedures that will be needed to successfully complete burden of disease studies in China.