The Burden of Low Back Pain Among Adults Aged 70 and Older in Iran, 1990-2019

Objectives: To report the burden of low back pain (LBP) among those aged 70 and above in Iran by age, sex, and province from 1990 to 2019. Design: Systematic analysis. Outcome Measures: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. All estimates were reported as counts and age-standardized rates per 100000 individuals, with their corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Results: In 2019, LBP had a point prevalence of 21714.8 and an incidence rate of 8097.7 per 100000 population among adults aged 70 and older above in Iran. In 2019, the number of years lived with disability (YLDs) and the YLD rate due to LBP were 78.2 thousand and 2252.3, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence, incidence, and YLD rates did not change substantially over the measurement period. Mazandaran and East Azarbayejan had the highest and lowest YLD rates per 100000 with rates of 3229.8 and 1912.7, respectively, in adults aged 70 and older. In 2019, the prevalent cases, incident cases, and YLDs along with their corresponding rates due to LBP did not differ significantly among males and females in the geriatric population of Iran. Furthermore, in 2019, the 70–74-year-old group had the highest number of prevalent cases, incident cases, and YLDs for both sexes, and all decreased with increasing age. Conclusions: Although the rates of LBP have not changed substantially over the last three decades, the burden among the geriatric population of Iran remains high. Therefore, preventive and therapeutic measures are needed to help reduce the burden among the geriatric population in Iran.