Global Trends in the Epidemiologic Burden of Anxiety Disorders Among Women of Childbearing Age (1990–2021): Associations with Sociodemographic Index

Shaoyi Peng,1,* Peng Liu,2,* Kaiyuan Li3 1Department of Cardiology, The First People’s Hospital of Jiande, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Kaiyuan Li, Email [email protected]: Anxiety disorders have become a severe global public health issue, especially pronounced among women of childbearing age (WCBA). However, comprehensive studies on the global burden and temporal trends of anxiety disorders in this demographic remain scarce.Methods: Data on the prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with anxiety disorders among WCBA from 1990 to 2021 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to assess trends in the burden of anxiety disorders, with 95% uncertainty intervals provided for point estimates.Results: As of 2021, the global prevalence, incidence, and DALYs of anxiety disorders among WCBA were 138.3 million, 18.96 million, and 16.45 million cases, respectively—reflecting increases of 77%, 77%, and 76% since 1990. The global burden of the three indicators of prevalence, incidence and DALYs for anxiety disorders showed a significant upward trend, with EAPCs of 0.18 (95% CI: 0.02– 0.33), 0.21 (95% CI: 0.06– 0.36) and 0.17 (95% CI: 0.02– 0.32), respectively. Countries with a middle sociodemographic index (SDI) had the highest burden, while low-middle SDI countries experienced the fastest growth rate. Among the 21 global regions, most displayed an upward trend in all three metrics, with Mexico exhibiting the most significant increase, despite decreases in some countries.Conclusion: Over the past 32 years, the global burden of anxiety disorders among WCBA has significantly increased, particularly in middle SDI countries and among women aged 45– 49.Keywords: anxiety disorders, women of childbearing age, global burden of disease, Sociodemographic Index, DALYs