Global, Regional, and National Burden of Spine Pain, 1990-2019: A Systematic Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Objective To describe the global, regional, national, and temporal trends in neck pain (NP) and low back pain (LBP) from 1990 to 2019 and analyze associations with age, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI). Design Temporal trends analyses of the Global Burden of Disease 2019 data for global, regional, and national prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disabilities (YLDs) of NP and LBP from 1990 to 2019. Setting Not applicable. Participants Not applicable. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) The temporal trends in prevalence, incidence, and YLDs of NP and LBP, and associations with age, sex, and SDI. Results Globally, the prevalence, incidence, and YLDs of NP and LBP significantly increased; however, the age-standardized rates of NP showed a stable trend, and those of LBP slightly decreased from 1990 to 2019. The burden of NP and LBP was higher in females than in males. Both NP and LBP exhibited similar age-related trends, with the total numbers and rates increasing with age and reaching their highest points in the middle- and old-aged groups, respectively, in 2019. Overall, the prevalence, incidence, and YLDs of NP and LBP were higher in regions with higher SDI over the three decades. Conclusions NP and LBP impose significant major public health burden globally. Although both conditions are more frequent in females and middle-aged groups and tend to be prevalent in countries with high SDI, they have distinct temporal and regional patterns. By comprehending temporospatial trends in the disease burden of NP and LBP, policymakers and healthcare professionals can make future interventions and policies to effectively manage these conditions worldwide as well as to achieve equity in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.