Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa
South Africa: Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders was 201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
32nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
240.49 DALYs per 100,000 people
in 2010
All-time low
189.56 DALYs per 100,000 people
in 2018
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in DALYs per 100,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people for rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa peaked at 240.49 DALYs per 100,000 people in 2010 and was at its lowest, 189.56 DALYs per 100,000 people, in 2018.
South Africa ranks 32nd of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa, year by year
| Year | DALYs per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 202.48 DALYs per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 204.69 DALYs per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 218.05 DALYs per 100,000 people | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 225.03 DALYs per 100,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 226.27 DALYs per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 220.77 DALYs per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 219.77 DALYs per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 217.17 DALYs per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 227.18 DALYs per 100,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 223.91 DALYs per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 240.49 DALYs per 100,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 229.74 DALYs per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 222.62 DALYs per 100,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 213.38 DALYs per 100,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 210.45 DALYs per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 207.47 DALYs per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 199.96 DALYs per 100,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 190.51 DALYs per 100,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 189.56 DALYs per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 191.67 DALYs per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 193.6 DALYs per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 218.53 DALYs per 100,000 people | 202.48 DALYs per 100,000 people | 227.18 DALYs per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 209.58 DALYs per 100,000 people | 189.56 DALYs per 100,000 people | 240.49 DALYs per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 197.64 DALYs per 100,000 people | 193.6 DALYs per 100,000 people | 201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 29 Spain 223.97 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
- 30 Belarus 215.26 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
- 31 Germany 212.14 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
- 33 Netherlands 196.71 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
- 34 Turkmenistan 195.86 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
- 35 France 189.73 DALYs per 100,000 people compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa?
- Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders in South Africa was 201.68 DALYs per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest rate of disease burden from drug use disorders recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 240.49 DALYs per 100,000 people in 2010.
- What is the lowest rate of disease burden from drug use disorders recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 189.56 DALYs per 100,000 people in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for rate of disease burden from drug use disorders?
- South Africa ranks 32nd out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is rate of disease burden from drug use disorders rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Rate of disease burden from drug use disorders. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of DALYs from drug use disorders in both sexes, per 100,000 people.