10.C. Scientific session: GBD 2023 - A European Perspective: Advantages and Challenges for Health Policy

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study offers the most comprehensive and systematic assessment of health trends, disease burden, mortality, and risk factors across countries and regions. Its methodological rigor and global comparability make it a powerful tool for informing public health strategies and resource allocation decisions. As health systems across Europe face growing pressures - from demographic shifts and chronic disease burdens and health inequities the evidence-based planning has never been more essential. This workshop aims to present and critically discuss a European perspective on the GBD 2023 findings, with a focus on how its metrics and insights can support the formulation, prioritization, and implementation of effective health policies across diverse European settings. Participants will explore both the advantages and limitations of applying GBD data in the European context. Specifically, we will examine the relevance of GBD indicators such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years of Life Lost (YLLs), and risk factor attributions for aligning national policies with measurable health needs. These metrics allow for comparisons across time, populations, and health conditions - making them highly valuable for strategic planning. At the same time, the workshop will address key challenges in using GBD data at the national and regional level. These include differences in local epidemiological data accessibility, variations in health system structures, and the political and institutional factors that shape how evidence is used in policymaking. The complexity of translating global health estimates into actionable insights for countries with diverse public health priorities will be a central theme. A unique contribution of this session will be the inclusion of country-specific experiences from several countries of different level of health and health system development, like Poland, Sweden and Slovenia. These case studies will illustrate how national health information systems and local databases can be integrated with or compared against GBD results. Presenters will discuss health assessments complements or challenges local monitoring systems and the practical implications for public health planning, funding, and evaluation. The session will conclude with a moderated discussion that reflects on the broader strategic value of GBD 2023 for Europe. Participants will be invited to consider how GBD data can be more effectively integrated into EU-wide and national health governance frameworks, and what steps are needed to ensure that these global tools support locally relevant, equitable health improvements. Key messages • GBD 2023 provides robust, comparable health metrics (e.g., DALYs, YLLs, risk factor attributions) that can enhance evidence-based policy design across diverse European health systems. • Effective integration of GBD data into European and national health strategies requires careful adaptation to local contexts, accounting for differences in data quality, priorities, and system.