Spatiotemporal trends in hernia disease burden and health workforce correlations in aging populations: a global analysis with projections to 2050

Despite declining age-standardized rates for inguinal, femoral, and abdominal wall hernias, absolute disease burden continues increasing due to demographic factors. Socioeconomic development significantly impacts disease patterns, with higher morbidity but lower mortality in high SDI areas. The strong negative correlation between pharmaceutical and dentistry personnel density and hernia burden suggests potential protective effects of healthcare workforce investment, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Future projections indicate growing absolute burden despite relatively stable age-standardized rates, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen preventive measures, improve treatments, and strategically allocate health workforce resources to address this growing public health challenge.