Burden of six common sexually transmitted infections groups in North Africa and Middle East Region from 1990 to 2021: A systematic analysis of global burden of diseases
Amirhossein Shahsavand , Leonardo Oliveira Reis , Ali Golestani , Alireza Namazi Shabestari , Ziba Aghsaeifard , Ozra Tabatabaei-Malazy , Iman Menbari Oskouie , Bagher Larijani , Seyed Mohammad Kazem Aghamir
{"title":"Burden of six common sexually transmitted infections groups in North Africa and Middle East Region from 1990 to 2021: A systematic analysis of global burden of diseases","authors":"Amirhossein Shahsavand , Leonardo Oliveira Reis , Ali Golestani , Alireza Namazi Shabestari , Ziba Aghsaeifard , Ozra Tabatabaei-Malazy , Iman Menbari Oskouie , Bagher Larijani , Seyed Mohammad Kazem Aghamir","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102793","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most widespread acute infections worldwide. The burden of STIs in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) region, with its unique characteristics, has not been thoroughly investigated to date. In this study, we aim to provide an assessment of the burden of STIs in the NAME region.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data from the GBD 2021 study were analyzed to assess health metrics including incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Both age-standardized rates (ASRs) and total numbers were evaluated across 21 NAME countries, with breakdowns by sex, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI). Findings were reported along with 95 % uncertainty intervals (95 % UIs).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>From 1990–2021, the incidence of STIs increased from 26.7 million (95 % UI: 22.5–31.5 million) to 55.8 million (46.8–67.4 million), but the incidence ASR decreased by 5.4 % (-6.9 to −4.2). Same pattern was observed for prevalence. STIs DALYs decreased from 412,021.2 (160,004.8 to 824,494.5) to 330,050.9 (161,900.6 to 611,903.2), and DALYs ASR decreased by 33.9 % (-48.1 to −18.5). In 2021, the number of YLLs was 3.7 times the number of YLDs. STIs mostly affected reproductive age groups, with syphilis having the highest mortality and genital herpes the highest prevalence. Women were affected more than males. Lower SDI was associated with higher burden of STIs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The NAME region's STI burden reflect global trends, but considering social norms, underestimation is probable. Inadequate screening, low awareness, stigma, and limited access to healthcare exacerbate STIs' burden in the region, particularly for women. Declining population growth in NAME is worsened by STIs, especially in countries with lower SDI. Reducing the STI burden in NAME requires culturally sensitive approaches, robust surveillance, education, destigmatization, and improved healthcare access.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"18 7","pages":"Article 102793"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187603412500142X","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"INFECTIOUS DISEASES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most widespread acute infections worldwide. The burden of STIs in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) region, with its unique characteristics, has not been thoroughly investigated to date. In this study, we aim to provide an assessment of the burden of STIs in the NAME region.
Methods
Data from the GBD 2021 study were analyzed to assess health metrics including incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Both age-standardized rates (ASRs) and total numbers were evaluated across 21 NAME countries, with breakdowns by sex, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI). Findings were reported along with 95 % uncertainty intervals (95 % UIs).
Results
From 1990–2021, the incidence of STIs increased from 26.7 million (95 % UI: 22.5–31.5 million) to 55.8 million (46.8–67.4 million), but the incidence ASR decreased by 5.4 % (-6.9 to −4.2). Same pattern was observed for prevalence. STIs DALYs decreased from 412,021.2 (160,004.8 to 824,494.5) to 330,050.9 (161,900.6 to 611,903.2), and DALYs ASR decreased by 33.9 % (-48.1 to −18.5). In 2021, the number of YLLs was 3.7 times the number of YLDs. STIs mostly affected reproductive age groups, with syphilis having the highest mortality and genital herpes the highest prevalence. Women were affected more than males. Lower SDI was associated with higher burden of STIs.
Conclusion
The NAME region's STI burden reflect global trends, but considering social norms, underestimation is probable. Inadequate screening, low awareness, stigma, and limited access to healthcare exacerbate STIs' burden in the region, particularly for women. Declining population growth in NAME is worsened by STIs, especially in countries with lower SDI. Reducing the STI burden in NAME requires culturally sensitive approaches, robust surveillance, education, destigmatization, and improved healthcare access.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Infection and Public Health, first official journal of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and the Saudi Association for Public Health, aims to be the foremost scientific, peer-reviewed journal encompassing infection prevention and control, microbiology, infectious diseases, public health and the application of healthcare epidemiology to the evaluation of health outcomes. The point of view of the journal is that infection and public health are closely intertwined and that advances in one area will have positive consequences on the other.
The journal will be useful to all health professionals who are partners in the management of patients with communicable diseases, keeping them up to date. The journal is proud to have an international and diverse editorial board that will assist and facilitate the publication of articles that reflect a global view on infection control and public health, as well as emphasizing our focus on supporting the needs of public health practitioners.
It is our aim to improve healthcare by reducing risk of infection and related adverse outcomes by critical review, selection, and dissemination of new and relevant information in the field of infection control, public health and infectious diseases in all healthcare settings and the community.