Burden and Epidemiology of Mental Disorders in the Middle East and North Africa from 1990 to 2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background: Previous studies have mainly focused on individual mental disorders, and there is no study addressing the total burden of mental disorders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Aims: To evaluate the burden of mental disorders in the MENA region from 1990 to 2019. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: We utilized global burden of disease data to examine the burden of 12 mental disorders from 1990 to 2019 across age groups, genders, and the 21 MENA countries. We collected data on prevalence, incidence, mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALY), including both crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 people. Results: The DALY rate of mental disorders in MENA countries increased by 13.88% from 1,747.92 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 1990.5 per 100,000 people in 2019. The highest percentage increases in the DALY rates of mental disorders were observed for bulimia nervosa (35.69%), other mental health disorders (34.58%), and schizophrenia (33.02%) from 1990 to 2019. However, the DALY rates for idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (-26.48%), conduct disorder (-23.91%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (-16.46%), and autism spectrum disorders (-4.12%) decreased in the MENA region from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, the highest DALY rates for idiopathic developmental intellectual disability, anxiety disorders, and major depressive disorder were observed in age groups ≤ 4 years, 5-19 years, and ≥ 20 years, respectively. The age-standardized DALY rate of mental disorders was the highest in Palestine (2,396.9 per 100,000), Iran (2,295.8 per 100,000), and Lebanon (2,126.0 per 100,000) compared with other MENA countries in 2019. Conclusion: There has been a slight increase in the burden of mental disorders in the MENA region between 1990 and 2019. National policies should prioritize evidence-based preventive measures and ensure accessible treatment options for mental health disorders in the population, especially in the MENA region

Regional burden of chronic kidney disease in North Africa and Middle East during 1990–2019 : results from Global Burden of Disease study 2019

ObjectivesUpdating burden data of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases is essential for proper provision of healthcare by policymakers. We aimed to estimate the burden of CKD and its attributed burden in North Africa and Middle East region (NAME) during 1990-2019. MethodsThe CKD-related Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 estimates were extracted from Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) website. ResultsIn 2019, 2,034,879 new CKD cases (95% Uncertainty interval 1,875,830 to 2,202,724) with an age-standardized incidence rate of 447.5 (415.1 to 482.8) per 100,000 was reported, showing a 70.9% increase in the past 30 years. CKD led to 111,812 deaths (96,421 to 130,853) with an age-standardized rate of 30.4 (26.3 to 35.4) per 100,000. The highest increase and decrease in the mortality rate were estimated in Morocco 21.8% (-8.9 to 51.6) and Kuwait -41.5% (-51.2 to -29.1). In 2019, CKD was responsible for 744.4 (646.1 to 851.8) age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), mostly contributed to "other and unspecified causes" [237.2 (191.1 to 288.4)], type 2 diabetes [205.9 (162.4 to 253.6)], and hypertension [203.3 (165.8 to 243)]. An increase was noted in DALYs from ages 25-29 and surged with an accelerating pattern by age. Kidney dysfunction, high systolic blood pressure, and high body mass index ranked as the top three risk factors for the disorder. ConclusionsOur study raised an alarm regarding the increasing CKD burden in NAME. There is an urgency to deal with hypertension and overweight/obesity at the primary care level, implementing CKD screening for at-risk groups, and facilitating the accessibility to appropriate treatments