Aug 2026· Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology· 0 citations· 87 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The global burden of depression and anxiety in women of reproductive age necessitates the concerted action targeting their social lives and mental wellness and integration of mental health services into broader development strategies is encouraged to build sustainable and inclusive societies.
Background: Although the global burden of mental disorders has been extensively documented, systematic assessments of cross-country inequalities, particularly regarding how this burden varies across levels of socio-demographic development, remain limited. Methods: Data on disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to mental disorders and the socio-demographic index (SDI) were obtained from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study. Absolute and relative inequalities were assessed using the slope index of inequality (SII) and concentration index (CI). Results: Between 1990 and 2021, the total number of DALYs attributable to mental disorders increased by 73.4%, with the largest increase observed among adults aged 30 to 54 years. Age-standardized DALY rates increased by 9.4%, primarily driven by anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and depressive disorders. Females exhibited higher age-standardized rates of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders, whereas males had higher rates of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other mental disorders. Anxiety disorders and depressive disorders were the primary contributors to the increasing burden, particularly among women and adolescents. In 2021, the burden of mental disorders showed substantial geographical variation across countries and territories. Inequality analyses demonstrated that the SII for overall mental disorders increased from 69 to 243, whereas relative inequality remained stable over time. Across SDI strata, high-SDI countries experienced a greater burden of eating disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders, while low-SDI countries experienced a greater burden of depressive disorders and idiopathic developmental intellectual disability. Conclusions: The burden of mental disorders remains substantial and unequally distributed worldwide. Persistent and widening disparities over the past three decades highlight the urgent need for strengthened global health policies and coordinated multilevel interventions aimed at reducing inequalities across countries with differing levels of socio-demographic development.
Background Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions worldwide, but their burden varies substantially across countries with different income levels. Evidence remains limited on how anxiety disorder burden, violence-related risk factors, and future trends differ across middle- and high-income countries (MHICs). This study examined inequalities in the burden of anxiety disorders across MHICs from 1990 to 2023, quantified the burden attributable to major risk factors, and projected prevalence trends to 2035. Methods Data on incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for anxiety disorders were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 database. We estimated counts, age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPRs), and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDRs), with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by income group, sex, age, country, and year. Risk-attributable DALYs were assessed for intimate partner violence (IPV), bullying victimization (BV), and sexual violence against children (SVAC). Temporal trends were evaluated using Joinpoint regression, and Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) models were used to project prevalence rates to 2035. Results In 2023, MHICs accounted for 91.3% (95% UI 60.7–137.2) of global prevalent cases, 90.8% (95% UI 50.4–153.7) of incident cases, and 91.2% (95% UI 44.8–177.6) of anxiety disorder DALYs. High-income countries (HICs) had the highest ASIRs, ASPRs, and ASDRs, whereas lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) had lower rates but larger absolute numbers of cases. From 1990 to 2023, the burden increased across MHICs, with the fastest growth observed in LMICs. Females had consistently higher ASIRs, ASPRs, and ASDRs than males, and the highest burden was observed among children and adolescents. IPV, BV, and SVAC were associated with substantial anxiety disorder DALYs, with marked differences by income group, age, and sex. BAPC projections suggested that prevalence rates may continue to increase through 2035, particularly among females and in lower-income settings. Conclusions Anxiety disorder burden remains high and unequally distributed across MHICs. The burden is characterized by persistent differences by income group, sex, and age, and is associated with violence-related risk factors. These findings support the need for income-sensitive, gender-responsive, and age-targeted mental health strategies, with particular attention to prevention of violence-related risks and improved access to mental health services in lower-income settings.
Yuxuan He, Lijie Liu, Wenfu Song et al.· PLoS ONE· 0 citations
The findings support social determinants framework for understanding depression, highlighting the contribution of social adversity, environmental stressors, and relational factors to the development and severity of depressive symptoms.
Stefania Chiappini, Valerio Ricci, F. Di Carlo et al.· International Journal of Soc...· 0 citations
Purpose Anxiety and depressive disorders constitute major contributors to global mental health burdens, disproportionately affecting 10-24-year-olds during critical neurodevelopmental windows. Despite their substantial disease burden, persistent treatment gaps and inequitable resource allocation remain worldwide. This study aims to systematically examine the evolving disease burden, inequalities, and achievable frontiers for anxiety and depressive disorders among 10–24 years from 1990 to 2021, providing critical epidemiological evidence to inform integrated adolescent mental health and injury prevention strategies. Methods Employed the data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, this study analyzed anxiety and depressive indicators across 953 locations at global, regional, national, and subnational levels, with stratification by sociodemographic index (SDI) quintiles to examine socioeconomic inequalities and identify potentially achievable frontiers. Data analysis occurred from August 2024 to January 2025. Results Key findings reveal a marginal increase in incidence rates over three decades, driven by a marked surge during the pandemic. Significant inter-regional disparities emerged, with high SDI regions such as Western Europe and High-income North America bearing disproportionately greater burdens. Notably, while some countries like Pakistan and Nigeria demonstrated relatively low burdens, subnational analyses uncovered accelerated disease trajectories and persistent health inequities, underscoring emerging challenges in resource-constrained settings. Among the top 100 affected subnational locations in 2021, Iran (31%), Brazil (27%), and Italy (19%) recorded the highest anxiety DALY rates, while the United States of America (51%), the United Kingdom (25%), and Iran (19%) dominated depressive DALYs. Socioeconomic inequalities in disease burdens intensified globally from 1990 to 2021, most pronounced in high SDI countries. In 2021, 89.2% and 92.2% of 204 countries and territories fell behind the anxiety and depressive DALYs frontiers respectively, with 99.0% and 97.1% experiencing an increasing frontier deviation between 1990 and 2021. Among 494 subnational locations, 49.2% fell behind the anxiety DALYs frontiers, and 35.8% fell behind the depressive DALYs. Conclusion These findings emphasize the urgency of implementing targeted interventions addressing developmental-stage vulnerabilities, and integrating equity-focused strategies into mental health prevention and promotion policy frameworks, with direct implications for adolescent self-harm prevention and child safety promotion.
Ming-Lu Yuan, Xue-Quan Liang, Wenyi Jin et al.· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations
Mental disorders represent a major public health burden worldwide, disproportionately affecting women in low- and middle-income countries. The perinatal period is a time of increased biological, psychological, and social vulnerability, heightening the risk of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Despite the high relevance, data on maternal mental health in Mozambique remain scarce.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in two health centers in Maputo. Pregnant women aged ≥ 18 years were systematically recruited. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the DASS-21. Prevalence ratios for depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance.
Clinically significant symptoms (moderate to extremely severe) were observed in 38.9% of participants for depression, 57.6% for anxiety, and 14.4% for stress. Additional factors significantly associated with symptoms included household composition, marital status, family history of mental illness, occupational status, religion, and family planning practices.
The findings highlight substantial psychosocial and structural vulnerabilities among pregnant women in Maputo. Systematic screening integrated into prenatal care, policies addressing economic and occupational insecurity, and further research exploring protective factors and culturally relevant interventions are warranted.
Elisa Paulo Joaquim Barros, A. Fumo, M. Moçambique· BMC Psychology· 0 citations
Introduction: Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental health disorders worldwide, placing an increasing burden on public health systems. However, certain transdiagnostic factors may modulate vulnerability to these disorders: personality traits, emotional regulation, and social support. Objective: To examined these factors, classifying them as either risk or protective through correlation analyses and qualitative comparative analyses in a clinical sample. Methods: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final sample consisted of 61 participants (73.8% female, 24.6% male, 1.6% other genders) aged between 20 and 66 years (M = 43.79; SD = 12.75). Results: Neuroticism was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, whereas extraversion predicted better mental health. Additionally, emotion dysregulation correlated positively with both psychopathologies. Finally, perceived social support emerged as a sufficient condition for lower anxiety levels; conversely, its absence was linked to higher levels of both anxiety and depression. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of further investigating risk and protective factors related to highly prevalent mental health problems like anxiety and depression. Better understanding these factors can help improve assessment, diagnosis, and treatment within clinical practice.
Selene Valero-Moreno, Olga Ribera-Asensi, Saray Giménez-Benavent et al.· Universitas Médica· 0 citations
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