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. 2025 Jan 19;15(1):101750.
doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i1.101750.

Burden of mental disorders and risk factors in the Western Pacific region from 1990 to 2021

Ya-Xin Xu  1   2 , Xiao-Xuan Niu  3 , Wen-Chang Jia  1   4 , Jing Wen  1   2 , Xue-Lin Cheng  1   2 , Yan Han  1 , Ming-Hui Peng  1 , Jing Zhou  1 , Yao Liu  2 , Sun-Fang Jiang  1   2 , Xiao-Pan Li  5
Affiliations

Burden of mental disorders and risk factors in the Western Pacific region from 1990 to 2021

Ya-Xin Xu et al. World J Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: The burden of mental disorders (MD) in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) remains a critical public health concern, with substantial variations across demographics and countries.

Aim: To analyze the burden of MD in the WPR from 1990 to 2021, along with associated risk factors, to reveal changing trends and emerging challenges.

Methods: We used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021, analyzing prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of MD from 1990 to 2021. Statistical methods included age-standardisation and uncertainty analysis to address variations in population structure and data completeness.

Results: Between 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of MD rose from 174.40 million cases [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 160.17-189.84] to 234.90 million cases (95%UI: 219.04-252.50), with corresponding DALYs increasing from 22.8 million (95%UI: 17.22-28.79) to 32.07 million (95%UI: 24.50-40.68). During this period, the burden of MD shifted towards older age groups. Depressive and anxiety disorders were predominant, with females showing higher DALYs for depressive and anxiety disorders, and males more affected by conduct disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorders. Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia reported the highest burdens, whereas Vietnam, China, and Brunei Darussalam reported the lowest. Additionally, childhood sexual abuse and bullying, and intimate partner violence emerged as significant risk factors.

Conclusion: This study highlights the significant burden of MD in the WPR, with variations by age, gender, and nation. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has exacerbated the situation, emphasizing the need for a coordinated response.

Keywords: Disability-adjusted life years; Global Burden of Disease; Mental disorders; Risk factors; Western pacific region.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Disability-adjusted life-years for mental disorders in the Western Pacific Region by sex and age, 1990 and 2021. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Age-standardised disability-adjusted life-years per 100000 population attributable to mental disorders in the Western Pacific Region, 1990 and 2021. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years; ASR: Age-standardised rates.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Rankings of age-standardised disability-adjusted life-years for mental disorders by country, 2021. The disorders are sequentially ordered from highest to lowest burden per country. Each distinct color denotes a different type of mental disorder. The numerical labels within each box indicate the regional rank of that particular mental disorder's disability-adjusted life-years within the Western Pacific Region. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Temporal trends of age-standardised disability-adjusted life-years for mental disorders in the Western Pacific Region by country and Sociodemographic Index, 1990-2021. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years; ASR: Age-standardised rates; SDI: Sociodemographic Index.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Distribution of age-standardised disability-adjusted life-years for mental disorders attributed to various risk factors in the Western Pacific Region in 2021. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years; ASR: Age-standardised rates.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Distribution of disability-adjusted life-years for mental disorders attributed to various risk factors by sex and age in the Western Pacific Region in 2021. DALYs: Disability-adjusted life-years.
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