Nagi Yazan, Al-Ajlouni Yazan A, Al Ta'ani Omar, Bak Magdalena, Makarem Nour, Haidar Ali
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA.
Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY, 10304, USA.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2025 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s00127-025-02885-5.
Mental disorders pose significant morbidity and mortality risks globally. Despite this, research on mental health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is scarce, hindered by social stigmas and limited healthcare expenditure. This study, utilizing the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database, aims to address this gap by examining the prevalence, incidence, and demographic patterns of mental disorders in MENA.
This ecological study draws on the GBD data to assess the prevalence and burden of mental disorders and substance abuse across the MENA region from 1990 to 2019. Utilizing age-standardized rates of prevalence and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), we examine the evolving burden of mental disorders, variations among MENA countries, and trends in associated risk factors by age and gender.
From 1990 to 2019, the MENA region witnessed varying trends in mental disorders. The age-standardized prevalence rate in 2019 was 14,938 per 100,000 individuals, experiencing a 2.1% decrease overall. However, all-age prevalence surged by 86.2%. Disorders like schizophrenia and depressive disorders exhibited substantial increases, contrasting with a 128.1% rise in substance use disorders. Temporal analysis revealed fluctuations in DALY trends, capturing the dynamic nature of mental health burdens over time. Risk factors, including bullying victimization and intimate partner violence, underwent shifts, reflecting changing contributors to mental health burden.
CONCLUSION(S): Despite a decrease in age-standardized prevalence rates in 2019, the substantial all-age prevalence rise demands attention. Temporal analysis unraveled nuanced trends, emphasizing the complex interplay of sociocultural factors. The shifting prominence of risk factors underscores the dynamic nature of mental health burdens, necessitating region-specific interventions that address both prevalence patterns and contributing factors. Future research should delve into the specific sociocultural determinants influencing the observed trends, allowing for tailored interventions to mitigate the burden of mental health disorders in the MENA region.
精神障碍在全球范围内造成了重大的发病和死亡风险。尽管如此，中东和北非（MENA）地区的心理健康研究却很匮乏，受到社会耻辱感和有限医疗支出的阻碍。本研究利用全球疾病负担（GBD）数据库，旨在通过研究MENA地区精神障碍的患病率、发病率和人口统计学模式来填补这一空白。
这项生态学研究利用GBD数据评估1990年至2019年MENA地区精神障碍和药物滥用的患病率和负担。利用年龄标准化患病率和伤残调整生命年（DALYs），我们研究了精神障碍负担的演变、MENA国家之间的差异以及按年龄和性别划分的相关风险因素趋势。
1990年至2019年，MENA地区精神障碍呈现出不同的趋势。2019年年龄标准化患病率为每10万人14938例，总体下降了2.1%。然而，全年龄段患病率飙升了86.2%。精神分裂症和抑郁症等疾病显著增加，而物质使用障碍则上升了128.1%。时间分析揭示了DALYs趋势的波动，反映了心理健康负担随时间的动态变化。包括受欺凌受害和亲密伴侣暴力在内的风险因素发生了变化，反映了心理健康负担的促成因素在不断变化。
尽管2019年年龄标准化患病率有所下降，但全年龄段患病率的大幅上升仍需关注。时间分析揭示了细微的趋势，强调了社会文化因素的复杂相互作用。风险因素突出地位的变化凸显了心理健康负担的动态性质，需要针对患病率模式和促成因素采取针对该地区的干预措施。未来的研究应深入探究影响观察到的趋势的具体社会文化决定因素，以便采取量身定制的干预措施来减轻MENA地区精神健康障碍的负担。
