Time trends and heterogeneity in the disease burden of trachoma, 1990-2019: a global analysis

Jingxin He, Aiming Chen, Minjie Zou, Charlotte Aimee Young, Ling Jin, Danying Zheng, Guangming Jin, Nathan Congdon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the epidemiological trends and associated risk factors of disease burden due to trachoma.

Methods: Data for the country-specific disability-adjusted life year (DALY) number, rate and age-standardised rate of trachoma together with related data of other common eye diseases were acquired from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. The Socio-Demographic Index (SDI), Human Development Index (HDI), inequality-adjusted HDI and other related indices were obtained from published data or publicly available databases. Regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between potential risk factors and the age-standardised DALY burden of trachoma.

Results: The global DALY burden due to trachoma decreased by 37% from 1990 to 2019 and decreased by 69.8% after adjusting for age and population growth, and, in available 1990–2019 data, had the greatest reduction in attributable DALYs of all common eye disease, with the others analysed being cataract, glaucoma, refractive disorders and age-related macular degeneration. Women had higher age-standardised DALY burden due to trachoma than men (p<0.001). The African region (p<0.001) had the heaviest burden among global regions. The age-standardised DALY rate was higher in countries with lower income (p<0.001) and lower SDI (p<0.001). Higher disease burden due to trachoma was associated with lower HDI (β=−48.102, 95% CI −86.888 to −9.316, p=0.016), lower SDI (β=−48.063, 95% CI −83.702 to −12.423, p<0.001) and lower expected years of schooling (β=−2.352, 95% CI −3.756 to −0.948, p=0.002).

Conclusions: The global disease burden due to trachoma decreased from 1990 to 2019 and it had the greatest reduction compared with other common eye diseases. Lower HDI, socioeconomic status and educational level were related to a higher national disease burden of trachoma. Our findings could provide necessary information for trachoma control and prevention.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBritish Journal of Ophthalmology
Early online date30 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusEarly online date - 30 Sept 2021

Keywords

  • infection
  • public health
  • epidemiology

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