PLoS medicine
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Comparative Study
Characterizing the epidemiological transition in Mexico: national and subnational burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors.
Rates of diseases and injuries and the effects of their risk factors can have substantial subnational heterogeneity, especially in middle-income countries like Mexico. Subnational analysis of the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors can improve characterization of the epidemiological transition and identify policy priorities. ⋯ Mexico is at an advanced stage in the epidemiologic transition, with the majority of the disease and injury burden from noncommunicable diseases. A unique characteristic of the epidemiological transition in Mexico is that overweight and obesity, high blood glucose, and alcohol use are responsible for larger burden of disease than other noncommunicable disease risks such as tobacco smoking. The Southern region is least advanced in the epidemiological transition and suffers from the largest burden of ill health in all disease and injury groups.
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Anthony Harries and colleagues discuss how the DOTS paradigm could be adapted for controlling diseases such as diabetes in resource-poor countries.