Which of the following statements correctly describes the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY)?
- A It is the sum of years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with disability ✓
- B It measures only mortality burden and ignores morbidity
- C It is the number of years a newborn would live if current age-specific mortality patterns continue
- D It expresses the average number of years a person is expected to live in full health
Correct answer: A. It is the sum of years of life lost due to premature death and years lived with disability
Explanation
One DALY equals one lost healthy life year and is calculated as YLL plus YLD, combining fatal and non-fatal disease burden. Option B is wrong because DALY explicitly incorporates disability weights. Option C defines expectation of life at birth, and option D describes Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE), the most tempting distractor because it also combines mortality and morbidity but yields an expectancy rather than a burden of disease.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
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