Global trends in depressive disorder prevalence and DALYs among young populations: a comprehensive analysis from 1990 to 2021.

To analyze the trend changes in the disease burden of depressive disorder (DD) among youth and adolescents aged 10 to 29 years globally from 1990 to 2021 to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of DD in young populations. Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, prevalence rates and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were employed as indicators. Trends in the disease burden of DD among global youth aged 10 to 29 years from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed with joinpoint regression models. The analysis incorporated major risk factors. Concurrently, an age-period-cohort model was used to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the prevalence and burden of DD. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence rates of DD and DALYs rate among the 10-29-year-old age group generally showed an increasing trend, with values for females being consistently higher than values for males. Notably, compared with the other age groups, the 10- to 14- year-old age group presented more significant increases in both prevalence and DALYs. Regional disparity analysis revealed that while high-sociodemographic index (SDI) regions showed an increasing trend in DD prevalence and DALYs, middle- to low-SDI regions showed some decline. This study highlights the global disease burden of depressive disorder among young populations. The significant increase in both prevalence and DALYs in the 10- to 14-year-old age group emphasizes the trend toward an earlier onset of depressive disorder, also underlining the disparities in depressive disorder management between high-SDI and low-SDI regions. Clinical trial number: not applicable.