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. 2018 May;63(Suppl 1):25-37.
doi: 10.1007/s00038-017-1006-1. Epub 2017 Aug 3.

The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990-2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study

GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Mental Health Collaborators
Collaborators

The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990-2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study

GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Mental Health Collaborators. Int J Public Health. 2018 May.

Abstract

Objectives: Mental disorders are among the leading causes of nonfatal burden of disease globally.

Methods: We used the global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors study 2015 to examine the burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). We defined mental disorders according to criteria proposed in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders IV and the 10th International Classification of Diseases.

Results: Mental disorders contributed to 4.7% (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 3.7-5.6%) of total disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), ranking as the ninth leading cause of disease burden. Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders were the third and ninth leading causes of nonfatal burden, respectively. Almost all countries in the EMR had higher age-standardized mental disorder DALYs rates compared to the global level, and in half of the EMR countries, observed mental disorder rates exceeded the expected values.

Conclusions: The burden of mental disorders in the EMR is higher than global levels, particularly for women. To properly address this burden, EMR governments should implement nationwide quality epidemiological surveillance of mental disorders and provide adequate prevention and treatment services.

Keywords: Anxiety disorders; Burden of disease; Depressive disorders; Eastern Mediterranean region; Mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

This manuscript reflects original work that has not previously been published in whole or in part and is not under consideration elsewhere. All authors have read the manuscript and have agreed that the work is ready for submission and accept responsibility for its contents. The authors of this paper have complied with all ethical standards and do not have any conflicts of interest to disclose at the time of submission. The funding source played no role in the design of the study, the analysis and interpretation of data, and the writing of the paper. The study did not involve human participants and/or animals; therefore, no informed consent was needed.

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest at this time.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2015. (Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2015)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age-standardized rate of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) per 100,000 population due to mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region by age, sex, and disorder, 2015. (Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, Eastern Mediterranean Region 2015)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Age-standardized rate of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) per 100,000 population due to mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and globally, 1990–2015. (Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, Global, Eastern Mediterranean Region 1990–2015)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Age-standardized rate of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Globally, by income group and sex, 2015. (Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, Global, Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2015)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Age-standardized rate of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and globally by income group, 1990–2015. (Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, Global, Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990–2015)
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