Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fractures in children and adolescents(FCA) represent a significant public health concern.This underlines the essential need for comprehensive research into the global burden of disease related to FCA. OBJECTIVE: To examine the trajectories of fracture rates and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in children and adolescents, as well as to identify contributing risk factors for fracture-associated DALYs between 1990 and 2019. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis utilized data from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019 (GBD 2019) study. It included individuals with Fracture of Childhood Age (FCA) ranging from 5 to 14 years. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 33,646,042 incident cases of FCA were reported worldwide. South Asia exhibited the highest number of new cases (8,270,826) and DALYs (190,124 life years) in 2019, accounting for approximately one-fourth of the global data. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence slight decreased by 21.19% and DALYs decreased by 28.99% globally. Fractures involving the radius and/r ulna (19.88%) rank as the top most prevalent FCA. Panel models analysis has pinpointed growth in adjusted national income (coefficient B 3.50, p-value 0.02) and per capita adjusted national income (coefficient B 3.48, p-value 0.03) as significant predictors of the worldwide DALYs associated with FCA. CONCLUSION: From 1990 to 2019, the burden of FCA exhibited a notable downward trend. However, in low SDI regions such as South Asia, the burden remains substantial. It was found that national income is a risk factor for FCA-associated DALYs, highlighting the need for policies and resources directed towards FCA alongside economic development.