The November 2022 issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases published an article entitled Age-sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990-2019, which our colleague, Dr. Tamás Palicz, co-authored.
The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. The study assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territories.
GBD 2019 included new data sources on LRI mortality and morbidity and used an enhanced standardized approach to adjust data from different sources (using different case definitions or measurement methods) to improve the comparability of data. The study assessed the LRI burden for all age groups by sex for 204 countries and territories. It also evaluated, for the first time, the burden of LRIs attributable to risk factors for children aged 5–14 years, as well as different adult age groups. Lastly, for the first time, the article provided the risk-deleted mortality estimates that represent the LRI mortality rates that would have been observed if the combined effects of all evaluated risk factors were removed.
The study comprehensively assesses the LRI burden and risk factors across different age groups by sex. It identifies the regions, countries, and age–sex groups with the highest LRI incidence and mortality to inform targeted interventions. By analyzing the LRI burden by time and identifying the leading risk factors by age groups separately for males and females, the study provides insight into policy planning and resource prioritization for addressing the uneven progress in reducing the LRI burden.
Read the full article here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(22)00510-2/fulltext