Fungal Skin Disease Incidence, Prevalence and Disability-Adjusted Life Years in Four Asian Countries (1990-2019)

Fungal skin diseases are a significant burden in Asia, with varying trends from 1990 to 2019, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

To investigate long-term trends in the incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life-year rates for fungal skin diseases in China, India, Japan and Singapore from 1990 to 2019.

Data were obtained from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. Independent age, period and cohort effects were calculated using age-period-cohort analysis.

Age-standardised incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life-year rates of fungal skin diseases in China, India, Japan and Singapore decreased from 1990 to 2019. India has the highest standardised incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life-year rates. The crude incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life-year rates showed an increasing trend in China, Japan and Singapore, and a decreasing trend in India. The age-period-cohort analysis found that the age effect increased in China, Japan and Singapore at ages 45-94 years, and India showed higher risk coefficients at ages 5-20 and 45-94 years. The period effect increased in the four countries, with more pronounced increases in Japan and Singapore. The cohort effect showed a monotonic decline with birth cohort in the four countries, with a slightly slower decline in India.

Fungal skin diseases pose a serious burden in Asian countries. We recommend raising awareness and providing specialised interventions for fungal skin diseases, especially for high-risk groups, such as middle-aged and older adults aged ≤ 45 years and young Indians aged ≤ 20 years.