[Age-period-cohort analysis on disease burden of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women aged 15-49 years in China, 1990-2021].

Objective

To analyze the incidence rate and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection in women aged 15-49 years in China from 1990 to 2021, identify the vulnerable populations, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of C. trachomatis infection.

Methods

The data from Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 were used to analyze the incidence rate and DALY rate of C. trachomatis infection in women aged 15-49 years in China from 1990 to 2021 by using Joinpoint regression model. The age-period-cohort analysis method was used to decompose the age effect, period effect and cohort effect of incidence rate and DALY rate of C. trachomatis infection.

Results

From 1990 to 2021, the incidence rate of C. trachomatis infection increased from 5 892.02/100 000 in 1990 to 7 402.23/100 000 in 2021 in women aged 15-49 years in China. The DALY rate increased from 1.92/100 000 person-years in 1990 to 2.00/100 000 person-years in 2021. Joinpoint regression showed that, from 1990 to 2021, the annual incidence of C. trachomatis infection in Chinese women age aged 15-49 years increased by 0.74% [average annual percent change (AAPC) =0.74%, 95%CI: 0.67%-0.81%, t=21.94, P<0.001] and the annual average DALY rate increased by 0.11% (AAPC=0.11%, 95%CI: -0.09%-0.30%, t=1.06, P=0.287). Age-period-cohort model analyses showed that women aged 30-34 years were at high risk to be infected with C. trachomatis and women aged 40-44 years were at high risk to have high DALY. The period effect showed that the risk for C. trachomatis infection began to increase in 1990, peaked during 2000-2004, then gradually decreased. During 2015-2019, the infection risk increased again, while the risk for high DALY showed a decreasing trend. The cohort effect showed that the risks for C. trachomatis infection and DALY were lower in later birth cohorts.

Conclusions

From 1990 to 2021, the incidence rate and DALY rate of C. trachomatis infection showed fluctuations in women aged 15-49 years in China. It is necessary to pay close attention to the prevention and control of C. trachomatis infection in women aged 30-34 years.