Skip to main content

Neurological Conditions Ranked as Leading Cause of DALYs Globally

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 15, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 15, 2024 -- Conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2021, according to a study published online March 14 in The Lancet Neurology.

Jaimie D. Steinmetz, Ph.D., from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, and colleagues estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and DALYs by age and sex in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. Morbidity and deaths due to 37 unique neurologic conditions were examined.

The researchers found that in 2021, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs globally, affecting 3.40 billion individuals (43.1 percent of the global population). Between 1990 and 2021, there was an 18.2 percent increase seen in global DALY counts attributed to these conditions. During the same time period, there was a decrease in the age-standardized rates of deaths per 100,000 people attributed to these conditions (33.6 percent decrease) and in the age-standardized rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions (27.0 percent decrease). The age-standardized prevalence was stable, changing by 1.5 percent.

"The findings in this study have important health service and policy implications and serve as evidence that global neurological health loss has been underrecognized and is increasing and unevenly distributed geographically and socioeconomically," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted March 2024

Read this next

Distal Symmetric Polyneuropathy Often Undiagnosed

WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2024 -- Distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP) is common and is frequently undiagnosed, according to a study published online May 8 in Neurology. Melissa A...

American Academy of Neurology, April 13-18

The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology was held this year from April 13 to 18 in Denver, drawing participants from around the world, including clinicians...

Prenatal Cannabis Use Disorder Increases Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

MONDAY, April 15, 2024 -- Prenatal cannabis use disorder (CUD) is associated with a higher risk for subsequent neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, according to a study...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.