Shuang Wang,1,* Shouyao Zhang,1,* Min Li,1 Suyu Chen,1 Yiping Chen,1 Yongli Song,2 Xinghe Zhang1 

1Second Clinical Medical College/Second Affiliated Hospital, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650000, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Basic Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650000, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Xinghe Zhang, Second Clinical Medical College/Second Affiliated Hospital, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, 650000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 0871 6595 4563, Email doczhangxh@163.com

Objective: To comprehensively analyze the levels and trends of low back pain (LBP) prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) among adolescents aged 10– 19 globally from 1990 to 2021, stratified by sex and the Socio - Demographic Index (SDI), and analyze the risk factors.
Summary of Background Data: LBP affects adolescents, but its global burden and trends among this age group need exploration.
Methods: Estimations were carried out using the Bayesian meta-regression tool, DisMod-MR(Disease Modeling Meta-Regression) 2.1. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated based on the linear regression patterns of age-standardized rates and calendar years to represent the temporal trends of age-standardized rates. Data analysis and visualization were performed using the R software (version 4.2.2).
Results: In 2021, global 10– 19 years old had 38,476,826 (95% UI, 29,229,615– 49,665,830) incident LBP cases, 19,234,452 (95% UI, 14,487,990– 24,798,451) prevalent cases, and 4,205,995 (95% UI, 2,713,716– 5,947,074) total YLDs. ASPR (Age-Standardized Prevalence Rate), ASIR (Age-Standardized Incidence Rate), ASYR (Age-Standardized YLDs Rate) declined. Females had higher rates. ASYR and SDI were positively correlated. Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania had high national prevalence; certain regions had big increases. Occupational risks were the only risk factor.
Conclusion: LBP still causes high distress to adolescents aged 10– 19 and seriously affects their physical and mental health. The burden of LBP remains high. It is necessary to increase the public and policymakers’ awareness of its risk factors and take preventive measures to reduce the future burden of this disease.

Keywords: low back pain, global burden of disease, years lived with disability, incidence, prevalence, adolescents