Developing national CAREX projects in Latin America & the Caribbean : technical guide (annex) to the workshop proceedings “Building Capacity for CAREX Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean (Bogota, Colombia, May 2014)”

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Americas. These illnesses are responsible for substantial health and economic burdens; in the year 2012, non-communicable diseases accounted for approximately 73% of disability-adjusted life-years from all causes (1). Between 2006 and 2015 in Brazil alone, the cost of treatment and lost productivity due to five chronic diseases was an estimated $72 billion (2). Of the chronic health conditions that are prevalent in the Americas, cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Workplace exposures to known carcinogens are a cause of cancer, among other known and potential risk factors..