Disability-adjusted life year

A time-based measure that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and years of life lost due to time lived in states of less than full health, or years of healthy life lost due to disability (YLDs). One DALY represents the loss of the equivalent of one year of full health. This indicator can be used to assess the overall burden of a disease. Together with prevalence and death rate, DALY gives a picture of the burden of a disease.