Nonfatal Burden of Disease and Risk-Attributable Burden in Romania, 1990 to 2023: A Secondary Analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2023 Estimates

Abstract

Background/Objectives: We assessed changes in nonfatal disease burden and risk attribution in Romania between 1990 and 2023. Methods: We analysed Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 estimates of years lived with disability (YLDs), related nonfatal measures and risk attribution for 199 causes and 61 risks, with seventeen comparator locations. Results: The age-standardised YLD rate changed by −4.1% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] −10.1 to 1.3), and total YLDs by −3.9% (95% UI −9.2 to 0.7). Both intervals included zero. The crude rate rose by 17.0%. The population size and age structure components of the decomposition were approximately −552,000 and +545,000 YLDs; their uncertainty was not estimated. Healthy life expectancy increased by 5.2 years. Its difference from life expectancy rose from 9.2 to 10.2 years, without an uncertainty interval for this derived change. Low-back pain remained the leading level 3 cause. Anxiety disorders increased by 41.7% (95% UI 4.5 to 101.8) and ranked second by point estimate; rank uncertainty was not estimated. The joint risk-attributable fraction fell from 31.2% to 28.3%. Conclusions: Romania had more disability per inhabitant and a larger share at older ages in 2023. Musculoskeletal disorders remained the main source of nonfatal burden, while anxiety disorders and diabetes increased.