Abstract
Objectives: This study assessed the burden and temporal trends of neurological disorders among adults aged≥60 years in Iran from 1990 to 2023.
Design: Systematic analysis.
Setting(s): Iran.
Participants: Adults aged 60 years and older.
Outcome Measures: Estimates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for neurological disorders among adults aged≥60 years in Iran were obtained from the GBD 2023 study. All estimates were reported with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).
Results: In 2023, there were approximately 4.5 million prevalent cases (95% UI: 4.0 to 5.1 million) of neurological disorders among adults aged≥60 years in Iran, corresponding to a prevalence of 46,163.3 per 100,000 population. In addition, deaths increased from nearly 4,000 in 1990 to 19,000 in 2023, and the mortality rate rose by 63%. DALYs reached 441,000 (95% UI: 257,000 to 802,000), and the DALY rate increased by 27% since 1990. Moreover, the burden was higher in females and sharply rose with age. Absolute case numbers peaked at 60–64 years, whereas rates peaked at≥85 years. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias were the leading contributors to deaths and DALYs, whereas headache disorders had the largest portion of prevalent cases.
Conclusions: The prevalence, mortality, and DALY rates of neurological disorders among older adults in Iran substantially increased between 1990 and 2023, indicating a rise in disease burden that is unlikely to be explained by demographic ageing alone. Thus, strengthening prevention, early detection, long-term care, and equitable service provision will be essential to address the growing neurological needs of Iran’s ageing population.