Temporal Trends in the Burden of Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymia in Asia, 1990–2023: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023

Background: This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the burden of depressive disorders and their subtypes (major depressive disorder (MDD) and dysthymia) in Asia, with particular attention to periods overlapping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We examined the burden of depressive disorders, including the numbers and age-standardized rates (ASRs) of incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) across Asian nations. We also assessed the proportion of MDD-related DALYs attributable to three risk factors within the GBD 2023 framework. Stratified analyses were conducted by sex, age, disease subtype, and geographic location. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to examine temporal trends. Results: From 1990 to 2023, the burden of MDD in Asia consistently exceeded that of dysthymia. China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea showed relatively limited ASDR fluctuations across 2019–2021 and 2021–2023 compared with several other Asian countries and territories. As for dysthymia, it showed relatively stable trends in ASRs across Asian nations during 1990–2023. However, India showed the largest increases in ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR (EAPCs: 0.30, 0.36, and 0.38, respectively), far exceeding those of the second-ranking country. In 2023, MDD-related DALY rates peaked among individuals aged 15–19 years, whereas dysthymia-related DALY rates peaked among those aged 65–69 years. Additionally, in 2023, IPV accounted for the largest proportion of MDD-related DALYs among the three risk factors examined in Asian females (8.64%). Conclusions: The depressive disorder burden in Asia showed distinct temporal patterns, with more pronounced short-term fluctuations in MDD and relative stability in dysthymia, highlighting the potential value of a dual-track mental health strategy that combines flexible response capacity for MDD with sustained, long-term care for chronic dysthymia.