Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39979921›Full record

ArticleInternational journal for equity in health2025

Emerging trends and cross-country health inequalities in congenital birth defects: insights from the GBD 2021 study.

Hanjun Liu, Kebin Chen, Tingting Wang, Xiaorui Ruan, Jianhui Wei, Jiapeng Tang, Liuxuan Li, Jiabi Qin

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Article in International journal for equity in health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hanjun Liu *Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Kebin Chen *Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Tingting WangDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Xiaorui RuanDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Jianhui WeiDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Jiapeng TangDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Liuxuan LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Jiabi QinDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. qinjiabi123@163.com.

Funding

Hunan Outstanding Youth Fund Project 2022JJ10087Hunan Provincial Key Research and Development Program 2018SK2063Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Talent Support Project 2020TJ-N07National Natural Science Foundation Program of China 82073653Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China 2022JJ40207
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies predominantly focused on single types of congenital birth defects (CBDs) or specific national prevalence. This study adopts a holistic perspective to assess current trends and health inequalities in birth incidence rate of various types of CBDs, providing novel insights to inform public health policy formulation.

methodsGlobal, socio-demographic index (SDI) regional, and country-specific estimates incidence cases and rate at birth of CBDs from 1990 to 2021 were derived from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. Joinpoint analysis and autoregressive integrated moving average predictive models were employed to evaluate temporal trends in the birth incidence rate of CBDs for the period 2022-2031. Additionally, analysis of associations and health inequalities were conducted to examine the relationship between SDI and the birth incidence rate of CBDs across countries.

resultsGlobally, the birth incidence rate decreased from 5811.17/100k population in 1990 to 5563.72/100k population in 2021, with low SDI regions recording the lowest rate and cases. Joinpoint analysis revealed a global decrease in the birth incidence rate of CBDs (average annual percentage change, AAPC: -0.14%, 95%CI: -0.15% to -0.12%). The most significant decline was observed in neural tube defects (NTD) (AAPC: -1.35%, 95%CI: -1.42% to -1.28%). However, only birth incidence rate of orofacial clefts (OC) is projected to decrease globally the next decade. Within the five SDI regions, the birth incidence rate of OC is also projected to decrease probably. The analysis revealed negative correlations between congenital heart anomalies (CHA), NTD, and SDI, with NTD showing both absolute and relative health inequalities.

conclusionsDespite the general decline in overall birth incidence rate of CBDs, projections suggested a probable increasing trend for all types except OC. This underscores the necessity for enhanced surveillance and intervention measures. Furthermore, the successful prevention policies implemented for NTD could serve as effective models for addressing other types of CBDs, thereby improving the current global situation of CBDs.

Indexed as

Congenital AbnormalitiesHealth Status DisparitiesFemaleGlobal Burden of DiseaseGlobal HealthHumansIncidenceInfant, NewbornPrevalenceSocioeconomic FactorsCongenital birth defectsGBDHealth inequalityIncidencePredictionTrend

Identifiers

PMID39979921
PMCPMC11844150

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.