Depressive and anxiety disorders linked to bullying victimization in North Africa and the Middle East: An analysis based on sex and location

This research aimed to investigate the prevalence and disability caused by depressive disorder and anxiety disorders in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME). Depressive and anxiety disorders attributed to bullying victimization in NAME were also investigated. All age and Age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) estimates of depressive and anxiety disorders attributed to bullying victimization were calculated, for the years 1990-2021. Estimates were based on per 100,000 populations. The 95% uncertainty interval was reported for each of the reported estimates. In 2021, the prevalence of depressive disorder was 31 million, and the prevalence of anxiety disorder was 38 million. The prevalence of depressive disorders and DALYs is higher in females than males. DALYs of depressive and anxiety disorders attributed to bullying victimization in NAME were 511,201 and 410,820 respectively in 2021. DALYs of depressive and anxiety disorders attributed to bullying victimization have a higher burden in males. In 2019, at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rapid growth in the prevalence of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. There has been an increase in bullying victimization, and this has led to an increase in depressive and anxiety disorders attributed to bullying. Therefore, at the national level, it is necessary to make health policies on screening for mental disorders and educating children and adolescents in dealing with bullying victimization.