Trends in the prevalence and burden of mental disorders among adolescents and young adults, 1990-2021.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Ecological and modeled trend analysis using secondary GBD 2021 estimates (graded by design analogy).
PubMed 41799464 · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1767326
What was done
The authors analyzed global trends and burden of 10 mental disorder categories among adolescents and young adults aged 10 to 24 years from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021. Metrics included age-standardized prevalence (ASP) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Trend analyses were conducted using joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort models, with DALY trends decomposed into population growth, aging, and morbidity changes.
What was found
The ASP of mental disorders rose from 13,824.9 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 12,010.6–15,751.2) per 100,000 in 1990 to 14,764.9 (95% UI: 12,804.9–16,908.1) in 2021. Age-standardized DALYs increased from 1,680.3 (95% UI: 1,215.3–2,226.5) to 1,919.2 (95% UI: 1,370.5–2,564.1) per 100,000. In 2021, anxiety disorders exhibited the highest ASP (4,968.0, 95% UI: 3,639.4–6,612.3) and DALY rate (609.4, 95% UI: 377.5–909.1). Marked increases in ASP and DALYs for anxiety and depressive disorders occurred in 2020 and 2021, particularly among females and across all socio-demographic index (SDI) regions, with faster growth in higher SDI regions.
Why it matters
This study provides comprehensive global estimates showing an expanding burden of youth mental disorders over three decades, highlighting a sharp worsening of anxiety and depression during 2020–2021. It quantifies the scale of need to guide public health resources and early intervention strategies.
Limits
The study is based on secondary modeled data from GBD 2021 rather than direct primary cohort measurements, and the abstract does not report primary sample sizes. Estimates carry substantial uncertainty intervals and are subject to regional variations in data availability, diagnostic criteria, and reporting quality across countries.
Cited by
- supports Research indicates that rates of anxiety, stress, and depression are increasing consistently.