Prevalence and burden of neurological diseases in the Chinese mainland: An analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Abstract Background: Neurological diseases represent a growing challenge to the Chinese public health system. However, a comprehensive analysis of neurological diseases in China is lacking. This study aimed to analyze disease burden and risk factors of neurological diseases in the Chinese mainland to identify priorities for disease control and prevention. Methods: Disease burden and risk factors in the Chinese mainland were analyzed for 12 neurological disorders using data from the Global Burden of Diseases 2021 study and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence, deaths, years of life lost, years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were used as metrics. Results: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (1930.3 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 1605.3–2296.7] per 100,000), ischemic stroke (1646.8 [95% UI: 1400.0–1893.1] per 100,000), Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias (dementia) (708 [95% UI: 347.7–1561.7] per 100,000) made the greatest contributions to DALY rates in the Chinese mainland in 2021. The fastest growing contributors to DALY rates were dementia (208.2% [95% UI: 166.4–255.7%]), Parkinson’s disease (160.7% [95% UI: 121.8–208.3%]), and ischemic stroke (95.2% [95% UI: 56.9–140.6%]). Migraine was the leading contributor to DALY rates among populations aged 10–39 years, ICH for those aged 40–74 years, ischemic stroke for those aged 75–89 years, and dementia for those aged >90 years. Ischemic stroke accounted for the highest age-standardized DALY rates in North and Northeast China, whereas ICH ranked first in other regions. High systolic blood pressure had the highest attributable DALYs for all diseases combined. Metabolic risk factors, alcohol use, secondhand smoke, and low physical activity contributed to higher YLDs in females, whereas alcohol use, smoking, and a high-sodium diet contributed to higher YLDs in males. Conclusions: Neurological diseases present a growing public health challenge, characterized by significant disparities in their prevalence and presentation across age, sex, and geographic regions. Addressing these disparities requires coordinated strategies encompassing prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and supportive care at the national level.