Examining the Research Gap in Social Statistics for Disability-Adjusted Life Years in Nigeria

Disability-Adjusted Life Years quantify the total burden of disease encompassing both premature death and years lived with disability, and their calculation requires social statistics inputs that are sparse and inadequately evaluated for Nigerian contexts. This study examined the research gap in social statistics inputs for DALY estimation in Nigeria through systematic review and original data quality assessment. A systematic scoping review of nine databases identified 24 publications from 2018 to 2024 on disease burden estimation in Nigeria, of which only 6 attempted national DALY calculations and none provided state-level estimates. Original assessment evaluated the availability and quality of the three key social statistics inputs: mortality data, disability weights, and population denominators, for the six geopolitical zones. Mortality data quality was rated as adequate in two zones, moderate in two, and poor in two (North West and North East). Population denominators were inconsistent due to the absence of a recent census. Disability weight data for Nigerian disease profiles were entirely absent, with all Nigerian DALY estimates using global disability weights that may not reflect local severity patterns. The study identifies the absence of age-standardised mortality data, the need for a Nigerian disability weight study, and the requirement for updated population denominators as the three most critical data gaps. Recommendations include a dedicated Nigerian DALY study funded by NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health, using the methodology proposed in this study as the research design.

Keywords: disability-adjusted life years, DALY, disease burden, Nigeria, social statistics gaps