Population Aging Contributes to Burden of Musculoskeletal Disorders
MONDAY, Sept. 22, 2025 -- Population aging is the largest contributor to the increasing burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders in about one-third of countries, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Shi-Yang Guan, M.D., from Anhui Medical University in China, and colleagues examined the global burden of MSK disorders attributable to population aging and estimated related health care costs across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021.
The researchers found that population aging was the largest contributor to the increases in incident cases, prevalent cases, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) between 1990 and 2021 in 33.3, 37.7, and 35.8 percent of countries and territories, respectively. There were inverted U-shaped associations between the sociodemographic index (SDI) and the proportions of incident cases, prevalent cases, and DALYs attributed to population aging; the highest proportions were seen in middle SDI countries. The increase in incident cases due to population aging were partially offset by declines in incidence rates. However, relative to increases in epidemiological rates, population aging contributed more to the increases in prevalent cases and DALYs. Globally, men were more affected by population aging, especially in high and high-middle SDI countries, while women were more affected in low-to-middle SDI countries. Population aging contributed $96 billion to global health care costs for MSK disorders in 2021, which was equivalent to 0.10 percent of the global gross domestic product.
"Our study shows that middle-income countries are experiencing the steepest proportional increases yet often have the least prepared health care systems to respond," coauthor Hai-Feng Pan, also from Anhui Medical University, said in statement.
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