Global, regional, and national burden and trends of tension-type headache among adolescents and young adults (15–39 years) from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2021

The prevalence of tension-type headache (TTH) is extremely high worldwide, but comprehensive global epidemiological studies targeting the specific age group of 15-39 years remain relatively limited. This study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 (GBD 2021) study to analyze the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with TTH, and identified temporal trends using the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). The study also investigated the association between the burden of TTH and the Socio-demographic Index (SDI). From 1990 to 2021, the global burden of TTH increased, with a 38% rise in prevalence cases and incidence cases. Across SDI regions, middle SDI region experienced the most significant growth in TTH cases, while high SDI regions showed a decline. Globally, the 35-39 age group faces a more severe disease burden, with prevalence cases at 188.27 (95% UI: 123.88-252.96) million, incidence cases at 61.82 (95% UI: 39.02-87.97) million, and DALYs cases at 461.94 (95% UI: 118.38-1494.8) thousand. From 1990 to 2021, the global epidemiological burden of TTH has shown a sustained increase. The most pronounced rise occurred in middle SDI regions, highlighting the urgent need for targeted public health strategies to enhance the quality of life among AYAs affected by TTH.