State of inequality: noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors

Overview

This report provides the first comprehensive global assessment of within-country inequalities in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors. It examines four major NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) and five major risk factors (alcohol use, obesity and unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, tobacco use and air pollution). Drawing on nine multicountry data sources, the report analyses 35 indicators disaggregated by up to eight dimensions of inequality, including sex, age, economic status, education and place of residence.

The findings reveal substantial inequalities in disease prevalence, exposure to risk factors and access to prevention and treatment services, with patterns varying across countries and population groups. Disadvantaged populations frequently experience poorer outcomes, including lower cancer screening coverage, disparities in hypertension diagnosis and treatment, and greater exposure to household air pollution. The report identifies significant gaps in comparable, disaggregated data and emphasizes the importance of strengthening inequality monitoring to inform targeted, equity-oriented policies and programmes for NCD prevention and control.