The burden and trends of infectious diseases among children aged 14 and below in China from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis from the 2021 global burden of disease study.
IF 3 3区 医学Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Chun Guo Miao, Gui Rong Le, Si Yan Miao, Zhi Xin Liu
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of death among children worldwide. This study aims to analyze the burden and trends of infectious diseases among children aged 0-14 years in China from 1990 to 2021, and evaluate their gender- and age-specific impacts.
Methods: This study utilizes data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 to analyze mortality, incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDR) for infectious diseases in Chinese children. Statistical analysis was performed using R and ggplot2.
Results: From 1990 to 2021, China observed substantial declines in pediatric infectious disease burdens. Acute hepatitis mortality decreased from 7,349 deaths (95% UI:5,987-9,059) to 87 (EAPC: -13.78), with a fivefold reduction in ASMR. Enteric infections exhibited the steepest decline: incidence dropped by 86% (EAPC: -6.72), and ASDR fell from 2,257 to 67/100,000. HIV/AIDS deaths rose from 62 to 555 (EAPC:8.28), though post-2018 declines emerged. By 2021, lower respiratory infections remained the leading cause of death (ASMR:5.11/100,000), while upper respiratory infections had the highest incidence. Females showed faster reductions in enteric (EAPC: -7.44 vs. -6.20) and lower respiratory infections (EAPC: -10.39 vs. -9.76). Children under 5 faced the highest burden, particularly for lower respiratory infections (ASMR:13.02/100,000).
Conclusion: The overall burden of infectious diseases among children in China has declined, especially for enteric infections and acute hepatitis. The burden of pediatric HIV/AIDS has also decreased in recent years, though adolescent HIV/AIDS education remains a key area of concern. Children under 5 continue to represent the highest burden group. While China's infectious disease control measures and immunization programs have played a vital role, further strengthening policies to address ongoing challenges is essential for effectively reducing the burden of infectious diseases and achieving the Healthy China 2030 goals.
期刊介绍：
Frontiers in Public Health is a multidisciplinary open-access journal which publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research and is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians, policy makers and the public worldwide. The journal aims at overcoming current fragmentation in research and publication, promoting consistency in pursuing relevant scientific themes, and supporting finding dissemination and translation into practice.
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