comparative risk factor assessment

Detailed information regarding the impact of selected risk factors to health are essential for health policies aimed at preventing disease and injury. A comparative risk assessment (CRA) of the disease burden is a systematic evaluation of the changes in population health which would result from modifying the population distribution of exposure to a particular risk factor or a group of risk factors.

A summary report (pdf format, 3,295 kb) presents the findings of the study and the policy implications.

• A comparative risk assessment for South Africa in 2000: Towards promoting health and preventing disease (pdf format, 327 kb)
• Strengthening public health in South Africa: Building a stronger evidence base for improving the health of the nation (pdf format, 351 kb)

The 17 risk factors included in the study are:

• Alcohol Abuse
• Diabetes
• High BMI
• High BP
• High Cholesterol
• Indoor Air Pollution
• Iron Deficiency anemia (IDA)
• Lead
• Fruit and Vegetables
• Physical Inactivity
• Tobacco
• Underweight
• Unsafe Water
• Unsafe Sex
• Urban Air Pollution
• Violence
• Vitamin A Deficiency