Damitha Asanga Gunawardane

• MBBS, MSc , MD (Community Medicine)
• Senior Lecturer at University of Peradeniya

Asthma and atopic dermatitis are common allergic conditions that contribute to substantial health loss, economic burden, and pain across individuals of all ages worldwide. Therefore, as a component of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, we present updated estimates of the prevalence, disability-adjusted life-...

Summary Background: Overweight and obesity is a global epidemic. Forecasting future trajectories of the epidemic is crucial for providing an evidence base for policy change. In this study, we examine the historical trends of the global, regional, and national prevalence of adult overweight and obesity from 1990 to 2021 and forecast the future traje...

Background Despite the well documented consequences of obesity during childhood and adolescence and future risks of excess body mass on non-communicable diseases in adulthood, coordinated global action on excess body mass in early life is still insufficient. Inconsistent measurement and reporting are a barrier to specific targets, resource allocati...

Background Overweight and obesity is a global epidemic. Forecasting future trajectories of the epidemic is crucial for providing an evidence base for policy change. In this study, we examine the historical trends of the global, regional, and national prevalence of adult overweight and obesity from 1990 to 2021 and forecast the future trajectories t...

Background The six global nutrition targets (GNTs) related to low birthweight, exclusive breastfeeding, child growth (ie, wasting, stunting, and overweight), and anaemia among females of reproductive age were chosen by the World Health Assembly in 2012 as key indicators of maternal and child health, but there has yet to be a comprehensive report o...

Objectives: In this study, the trends and current situation of the injury burden as well as attributable burden to injury risk factors at global, regional, and national levels based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 are presented. Study design: To assess the attributable burden of injury risk factors, th...

Supplement to: GBD 2021 Tobacco Forecasting Collaborators. Forecasting the effects of smoking prevalence scenarios on years of life lost and life expectancy from 2022 to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.Lancet Public Health 2024; 9: e729–44. Appendix 3: Authorship appendix to “Forecasting the effects of smokin...

Background : Smoking is the leading behavioural risk factor for mortality globally, accounting for more than 175 million deaths and nearly 4·30 billion years of life lost (YLLs) from 1990 to 2021. The pace of decline in smoking prevalence has slowed in recent years for many countries, and although strategies have recently been proposed to achieve t...

Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990–2021. We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (...

Background: Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990–2021. Methods: We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disabilit...

Summary Background Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injur...

Background Accurate assessments of current and future fertility-including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions-are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to i...

This appendix provides detailed information on the methods for the paper “Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021 with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021”

Background Understanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensiv...

Summary Background Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injur...

Citation - Gunawardane, D. A. (2024). Revision of Neonatal Mortality, Infant Mortality and Under 5 Mortality 2030 SDG targets for Sri Lanka. University of Peradeniya. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380347398_Revision_of_Neonatal_Mortality_Infant_Mortality_and_Under_5_Mortality_2030_SDG_targets_for_Sri_Lanka

Background Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-base...

Background Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important follow...

Background Accurate assessments of current and future fertility-including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions-are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to i...

Background Disorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditio...

Background Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of D...

Background Cancers represent a challenging public health threat in Asia. This study examines the temporal patterns of incidence, mortality, disability and risk factors of 29 cancers in Asia in the last three decades. Methods The age, sex and year-wise estimates of incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of 29 cancers for 4...

Objective: This study is the first to validate the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in Sri Lanka population. ESS is a tool used to evaluate patients’ habitual sleepiness during the day and is used worldwide. This work examined the psychometric properties of the Sinhalese version of eight items ESS among heavy vehicle drivers in Sri Lanka.Methods: A s...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38092509/#full-view-affiliation-41

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) is a multinational collaborative research study with >10,000 collaborators around the world. GBD generates a time series of summary measures of health, including prevalence, cause-specific mortality (CSMR), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disabi...

Cryptosporidiosis, caused by Cryptosporidium spp., is one of the major causes of diarrhoeal disease worldwide. It causes self-limiting disease in immunocompetent patients and life-threatening disease in the majority of immunosuppressed patients. However, there is limited data available regarding cryptosporidiosis, specifically in post-renal transpl...

Background Anaemia is a major health problem worldwide. Global estimates of anaemia burden are crucial for developing appropriate interventions to meet current international targets for disease mitigation. We describe the prevalence, years lived with disability, and trends of anaemia and its underlying causes in 204 countries and territories. Metho...

Background Reducing the burden of death due to infection is an urgent global public health priority. Previous studies have estimated the number of deaths associated with drug-resistant infections and sepsis and found that infections remain a leading cause of death globally. Understanding the global burden of common bacterial pathogens (both suscept...

Objective: To analyse the neonatal care cost of ‘adverse neonatal outcome’ following term deliveries (37 completed weeks - 41 completed weeks and 6 days) at Teaching Hospital Kandy. Method: This study was conducted from the 26th of February to the 20th of May 2015. This is a cost analysis to explore the neonatal care cost of term neonates with ‘adv...

Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer among Sri Lankan females, accounting for nearly 10% of all female cancers. Since 1996, Sri Lanka has implemented cervical screening under the well-woman programme. The target population for screening was 35 years cohort, and 45 year age cohort was also added in 2018. This study aims to evaluate the tren...

Global investments in pandemic preparedness and COVID-19: development assistance and domestic spending on health between 1990 and 2026 Global Burden of Disease 2021 Health Financing Collaborator Network † Show footnotesOpen AccessPublished:January 24, 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00007-4 Summary Background The COVID-19 pandemic h...

Background: Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods:...

Background: Globally, transport and unintentional injuries persist as leading preventable causes of mortality and morbidity for adolescents. We sought to report comprehensive trends in injury-related mortality and morbidity for adolescents aged 10-24 years during the past three decades. Methods: Using the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and...

Background Aerophagia is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder among children. The disease leads to symptoms related to air in the intestine leading to burping, abdominal distension, and excessive flatus. We aimed to perform a systematic review and a meta-analysis to assess the epidemiology of aerophagia in children. Methods We conducted a...

Summary Background Globally, transport and unintentional injuries persist as leading preventable causes of mortality and morbidity for adolescents. We sought to report comprehensive trends in injury-related mortality and morbidity for adolescents aged 10–24 years during the past three decades. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries,...

Background: Even though forty to seventy percent of neonatal mortality are recorded among term neonates, information on neonatal outcomes of term neonates is scarce. The high volume of term neonatal admissions to neonatal care units(NCU)signifies the importance of studying the maternal risk factors for such neonatal outcomes. Objectives:The present...

Background: Role (Work) stress impact not only on doctor’s health but also their ability to cope with their job demands or patient care. Organizational Role Stress (ORS), is the stress explained by the persons because of their role (job) in the organization. It has 10 dimension scores.Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the level orga...

Suggested citation: Gunawardane, D. A., Vithana, P. V. S. C., Danansuriya, M. N., Jayasekara, H., Mataraarachchi, D., Nazeer, I., Nupehewa, S., Gunathilake, I., Jayasundara, C. J., Gunasoma, A., Jayakody, H., Lokubalasooriya, A., & Silva, C. de. (2020). Costed Implementation Plan on Adolescent and Youth Health Sri Lanka (2020-2025). Colombo, Sri La...

Economic evaluation attempts to identify ways in which limited resources can be utilized efficiently. Efficiency in health care sector requires priority to be given for those interventions, which provide the greatest benefits per unit cost. Economic evaluations involve the identification and valuation, and then the comparison of costs (inputs) and...

p>Major proportion (40-70%) of neonatal mortality is among ‘term neonates’. Even though, information on neonatal outcomes of term neonates is scarce. The high volume of term neonatal admissions to neonatal care units signify the importance of studying the neonatal outcomes among term neonates. The aim of this study is to describe the neonatal outco...

Introduction The steady increase in the Caesarean Section (CS) rates is a global concern especially with the absence of consensus on the optimal CS rate and the associated short and long-term risks. Further rising CS rate imposes an unnecessary economic cost on the financially stretched health care system. This study aimed to determine the trends o...

Introduction There are quite a few mothers and babies who face difficulties in breastfeeding requiring professional help. In addition to home-based breastfeeding support by the Public Health Midwife, in order to provide quick outpatient support to breastfeeding mothers “Lactation Management Centre” (LMC) was introduced to the Sri Lankan specialist...

Introduction Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in reducing maternal deaths in recent decades. Maternal mortality surveillance information still reveal the existence of causes preventable among maternal deaths. Trend analysis of maternal mortality ratio is of importance to determine the future Goals for the country to achieve Sustainable Develo...

p>Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer in women. Most of the cervical cancers are linked to genital infection with HPV and it is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. At present, there are three types of HPV vaccines available. Even though HPV vaccination is a primary prevent...

The cost analysis of the Sri Lanka Every Newborn Action Plan 2017-2020 is presented in this document. There were two parts for the cost analysis .We focused on the cost of nine specific intervention packages included in the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) in the first part and the second part was on the cost of the priority activities selected fro...

p> Objectives: The main aim of this study was to describe the neonatal outcomes of term neonates following initial hospital discharge. Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study done among term neonates discharged from Teaching Hospital (TH) Kandy from 27^th of March to 14^th of May 2015. All the term neonates who del...

Background: Birth weight (BW) of new born babies is the main proxy measure used by the healthcare providers and planners to measure foetal wellbeing. Further, it is strongly associated with the babies’ risk of mortality, and health later in life. Among many other factors, maternal anthropometry plays a crucial role in determining the neonatal BW. O...

Background Newborns in neonatal care units are exposed to a considerable number of medications. Although patterns of drug utilization in neonatal care units are changing rapidly, current data on drug utilization patterns in neonatal care units are limited, especially with regard to term neonates. Objectives The aim of the study was to describe the...

Introduction: Even though caesarian section rates higher than 10% are not shown any association with a reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality rates, use of caesarian sections has increased worldwide in the last two decades including Australia. Further rising CS rates impose an unnecessary economic cost on financially stretched health care sy...

Introduction: According to National Hospital Cost Data Collection (NHCDC), 8 of the top 20 medical Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) were related to neonatal admissions including the medical DRG with the highest average cost. Methods: The objective of this analysis is to provide a preliminary estimate cost, for the neonatal care cost at Australian...

Introduction Remarkable progress has been made in recent decades to reduce the number of neonatal deaths in Sri Lanka. But Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) declined at a slower pace. Yet a considerable proportion of newborn deaths are preventable. In preparing neonatal mortality reduction strategies, it is important for country to see the trend of ne...

Introduction Proportion of term neonates who required admission to special neonatal care units due to adverse neonatal outcomes are vary from 10-15%. On the other hand, term neonates make up 40-45% of neonate who receives services of special neonatal care units. Objective Aim of this study is to estimate the neonatal care cost of most prevalent neo...

Introduction and Objectives Forty to seventy percent of neonatal mortality is among term neonates. High volume of term neonatal admissions to neonatal care units (NCU) signify the importance of studying the neonatal outcomes among term neonates. This study is conducted to describe the neonatal outcomes, identify maternal risk and the neonatal care...

Heavy vehicle crash rates are high in Sri Lanka. International studies showed that fatigue and day time sleepiness are linked to heavy vehicle crashes. The aim of this study is to examine the level of fatigue, day time sleepiness and their associated factors among heavy vehicle drivers in Sri Lanka. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried o...

Introduction and Objectives Forty to seventy percent of neonatal mortality is among term neonates. High volume of term neonatal admissions to neonatal care units (NCU) signify the importance of studying the neonatal outcomes among term neonates. This study is conducted to describe the neonatal outcomes, identify maternal risk and the neonatal care...

No: 334 Health and Hygiene Adequate weight gain during pregnancy is important to ensure better neonatal and maternal outcomes. During last few decades, recommendations for weight gain in pregnancy have been highly controversial. Aim of this study was to describe the pattern and adequacy of Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) based on the current guidelin...

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v18i1.6079 Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka Vol.18(1) June 2013 33-34

Abstract Objective:To describe the level of fatigue, day time sleepiness and their associated factors, among heavy vehicle drivers attending National Transport Medical Institute – Kandy. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in 403 heavy vehicle drivers through an interviewer administered structured questionnaire consisting...

Dharmarathne S. Heavy vehicle crashes in Sri lanka. 44th Asia Pacific Consortium for Public Health (APACPH); 14th -17th October 2012; Colombo, Sri Lanka. p. 68.