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Global, regional and national burden of depressive disorders and attributable risk factors, from 1990 to 2021: results from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2025

Jian Rong ,
Xueqin Wang ,
Pan Cheng ,
Dan Li  and
Dahai Zhao Open the ORCID record for Dahai Zhao [Opens in a new window]
Jian Rong
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Xueqin Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Materials and Equipment, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China
Pan Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Dan Li
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
Dahai Zhao*
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; and Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China
*
Correspondence: Dahai Zhao. Email: 596058582@qq.com
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Abstract

Background

Depressive disorders pose a significant global public health challenge, yet evidence on their burden remains insufficient.

Aims

To report the global, regional and national burden of depressive disorders and their attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2021.

Methods

Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 were analyzed for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We explored the age-standardised incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of depressive disorders by age, gender and sociodemographic index.

Results

In 2021, there were 357.44 million incident cases, 332.41 million prevalent cases and 56.33 million DALYs. Age-standardised rates for incidence, prevalence and DALYs were 4333.62, 4006.82 and 681.14 per 100 000 persons, with annual declines of 0.06%, 0.03% and 0.04%. Uganda, Greenland and Lesotho had the highest prevalence, while Spain, Mexico and Uruguay showed the largest increases. Greenland and Brunei Darussalam had the highest and lowest age-standardised DALYs rates, respectively. DALYs peaked in the 55–59 age group for men and 60–64 for women, with higher rates in women. Regionally, a U-shaped association was found between the sociodemographic index and DALYs rates. Population growth was the main driver for the increase in DALYs cases. Childhood maltreatment was the leading risk factor, with intimate partner violence affecting more females and childhood sexual abuse more males.

Conclusions

Despite decreasing trends in incidence, prevalence and DALYs rates, absolute case numbers and age-standardised rates continue to increase for depressive disorders. Tackling childhood abuse and improving depressive disorder management are crucial to reducing future burdens.

Keywords

Depressive disordersepidemiologyburden of diseasesystematic reviewrisk factor

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 227 , Issue 4 , October 2025 , pp. 688 - 697
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists

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Footnotes

*

Joint first authors.

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