The burden of mental disorders and substance abuse in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study.

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Title: The burden of mental disorders and substance abuse in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study.
Authors: Nagi, Yazan (AUTHOR), Al-Ajlouni, Yazan A. (AUTHOR), Al Ta'ani, Omar (AUTHOR), Bak, Magdalena (AUTHOR), Makarem, Nour (AUTHOR), Haidar, Ali (AUTHOR)
Source: Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology. Jan2026, Vol. 61 Issue 1, p151-168. 18p.
Subjects: Mental illness, Substance abuse, Disease prevalence, Global burden of disease, Health expectancy, Disease risk factors
Geographic Terms: Middle East, North Africa
Abstract: Background: Mental disorders pose significant morbidity and mortality risks globally. Despite this, research on mental health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is scarce, hindered by social stigmas and limited healthcare expenditure. This study, utilizing the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database, aims to address this gap by examining the prevalence, incidence, and demographic patterns of mental disorders in MENA. Methods: This ecological study draws on the GBD data to assess the prevalence and burden of mental disorders and substance abuse across the MENA region from 1990 to 2019. Utilizing age-standardized rates of prevalence and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), we examine the evolving burden of mental disorders, variations among MENA countries, and trends in associated risk factors by age and gender. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the MENA region witnessed varying trends in mental disorders. The age-standardized prevalence rate in 2019 was 14,938 per 100,000 individuals, experiencing a 2.1% decrease overall. However, all-age prevalence surged by 86.2%. Disorders like schizophrenia and depressive disorders exhibited substantial increases, contrasting with a 128.1% rise in substance use disorders. Temporal analysis revealed fluctuations in DALY trends, capturing the dynamic nature of mental health burdens over time. Risk factors, including bullying victimization and intimate partner violence, underwent shifts, reflecting changing contributors to mental health burden. Conclusion(s): Despite a decrease in age-standardized prevalence rates in 2019, the substantial all-age prevalence rise demands attention. Temporal analysis unraveled nuanced trends, emphasizing the complex interplay of sociocultural factors. The shifting prominence of risk factors underscores the dynamic nature of mental health burdens, necessitating region-specific interventions that address both prevalence patterns and contributing factors. Future research should delve into the specific sociocultural determinants influencing the observed trends, allowing for tailored interventions to mitigate the burden of mental health disorders in the MENA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: The burden of mental disorders and substance abuse in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nagi%2C+Yazan%22">Nagi, Yazan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Al-Ajlouni%2C+Yazan+A%2E%22">Al-Ajlouni, Yazan A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Al+Ta'ani%2C+Omar%22">Al Ta'ani, Omar</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bak%2C+Magdalena%22">Bak, Magdalena</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Makarem%2C+Nour%22">Makarem, Nour</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Haidar%2C+Ali%22">Haidar, Ali</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Social+Psychiatry+%26+Psychiatric+Epidemiology%22">Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 61 Issue 1, p151-168. 18p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+illness%22">Mental illness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse%22">Substance abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disease+prevalence%22">Disease prevalence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Global+burden+of+disease%22">Global burden of disease</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+expectancy%22">Health expectancy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disease+risk+factors%22">Disease risk factors</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+East%22">Middle East</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22North+Africa%22">North Africa</searchLink>
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  Data: Background: Mental disorders pose significant morbidity and mortality risks globally. Despite this, research on mental health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is scarce, hindered by social stigmas and limited healthcare expenditure. This study, utilizing the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database, aims to address this gap by examining the prevalence, incidence, and demographic patterns of mental disorders in MENA. Methods: This ecological study draws on the GBD data to assess the prevalence and burden of mental disorders and substance abuse across the MENA region from 1990 to 2019. Utilizing age-standardized rates of prevalence and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), we examine the evolving burden of mental disorders, variations among MENA countries, and trends in associated risk factors by age and gender. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the MENA region witnessed varying trends in mental disorders. The age-standardized prevalence rate in 2019 was 14,938 per 100,000 individuals, experiencing a 2.1% decrease overall. However, all-age prevalence surged by 86.2%. Disorders like schizophrenia and depressive disorders exhibited substantial increases, contrasting with a 128.1% rise in substance use disorders. Temporal analysis revealed fluctuations in DALY trends, capturing the dynamic nature of mental health burdens over time. Risk factors, including bullying victimization and intimate partner violence, underwent shifts, reflecting changing contributors to mental health burden. Conclusion(s): Despite a decrease in age-standardized prevalence rates in 2019, the substantial all-age prevalence rise demands attention. Temporal analysis unraveled nuanced trends, emphasizing the complex interplay of sociocultural factors. The shifting prominence of risk factors underscores the dynamic nature of mental health burdens, necessitating region-specific interventions that address both prevalence patterns and contributing factors. Future research should delve into the specific sociocultural determinants influencing the observed trends, allowing for tailored interventions to mitigate the burden of mental health disorders in the MENA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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              Text: Jan2026
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