Disease burden of spinal fractures attributable to road injuries among working-age population in China during 1990-2023: An analysis based on the global burden of disease 2023.

BACKGROUND: Spinal fractures attributable to road traffic injuries impose a substantial disease burden on the working-age population. Nevertheless, the current affairs in the disease burden of spinal fractures among this demographic in China have not been systematically investigated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the disease burden of spinal fractures and their subtypes attributable to road traffic injuries among the working-age population (15-69 years) in China from 1990 to 2023, and to forecast variation tendency through 2040. METHODS: Leveraging data from the GBD 2023, data on the incidence rate, YLDs count, ASIR, and ASYR of spinal fractures and their subtypes triggered by road traffic injuries among China's working-age population during 1990-2023 were extracted. Joinpoint regression analysis and age-period-cohort models were employed to investigate trajectories in disease burden. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was applied to project the disease burden from 2024 to 2040. RESULTS: From 1990-2023, the incidence and YLDs counts of spinal fractures triggered by road injuries among China's working-age population elevated by 26.24% and 53.30%, respectively. ASIR and ASYR exhibited downward trajectories, decreasing to 17.34 per 100,000 (95% UI: 9.86-27.91) and 0.91 per 100,000 (95% UI: 0.56-1.38), with reductions of 3.34% and 7.14%. The disease burden among males consistently exceeded that among females. The ASYR burden of pedestrian road traffic injuries continuously ranked first. Projections displayed rising ASIR but declining incident cases, YLDs count, and ASYR. CONCLUSIONS: From 1990-2023, the incidence and YLDs counts of spinal fractures triggered by road injuries among China's working-age population elevate, while ASIR and ASYR decline. Males and pedestrians bear a higher disease burden associated with road injuries. Future road safety management should prioritize alleviating the ASIR burden, especially by optimizing traffic safety prevention and control strategies for pedestrians.