BACKGROUND

Self-harm has become a major public health problem globally. Data on the burden of self-harm in this study were taken from the GBD 2021. This study aimed to quantify historical trends (1990-2021) in the global burden of self-harm across genders, age groups, and regions, and project future changes (2022-2050) through Bayesian forecasting models.

METHODS

Based on the seven GBD super-regions, the burden of self-harm was analyzed by region, age, and gender from 1990 to 2021. Hierarchical statistical approach was used to predict trends in global and regional changes in the burden of self-harm, 2022-2050.

RESULT

In 2021, the global DALYs and death counts from self-harm were 33.5 million (95% UI: 31.3-35.8) and 746.4 thousand (95% UI: 691.8-799.8). The region with the highest number of DALYs and deaths is South Asia and the highest age-standardized rates of DALYs and mortality were in central Europe, eastern Europe, and central Asia. Globally, the burden of self-harm was higher for males than for females. DALYs rates were highest among adolescents and young adults (20-29 years), whereas mortality rates showed a predominantly age-progressive pattern with the highest burden observed in middle-aged and older populations, albeit with a modest decline in the oldest age groups. Forecasting models showed a sustained decline in the global burden of self-harm from 2022-2050.

CONCLUSION

The results highlight the need for policymakers to allocate resources to high-burden regions (e.g., South Asia and Eastern Europe), to implement gender- and age-specific prevention programs, and to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration to address the underlying social determinants of self-harm. The findings call for strengthened mental health services and targeted interventions to effectively respond to and reduce the devastating impact of self-harm on individuals and the global community.