Neurological Diseases Cause Increased Mortality Rates Among Young People
Mortality rates among people aged 15 to 44 are steadily increasing, with neurological diseases being a significant concern, either as the primary cause of death or as a contributing factor.
Experts say there is a substantial rise in deaths related to neurological diseases among young people following the Covid-19 pandemic. This conclusion comes from a study conducted by “Finance Technology,” which relies on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and analyzes statistics from the United States.
Ed Dowd, founder of Finance, told the British site “Mirror”: “Excess mortality rates among young people in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 can be considered extreme events. The results show a marked deviation from the previous historical trend in mortality rates caused by neurological diseases, indicating a new phenomenon that worsened in 2022 and continued into 2023.”
The study indicated that neurological conditions included ailments such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which often occur after viral or bacterial infections causing inflammation of the central nervous system.
Symptoms typically include headaches, confusion, weakness, and numbness, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Guillain-Barré syndrome, on the other hand, is accompanied by numbness and weakness, primarily affecting the nerves in the feet, hands, and limbs, with other symptoms including balance issues and severe pain, making it difficult for patients to walk, swallow, and breathe.
The research conducted by Carlos Alegria and Yuri Nunes on deaths related to neurological diseases across different age groups between 2000 and 2023 revealed a significant change after 2019. The study classified deaths among those where the condition was either the primary cause or one of multiple causes, and it accounted for deaths due to Covid-19 by excluding those where the coronavirus was reported.
In the first group, the excess mortality rate increased by 4.4% in 2020 and by an alarming 10% in 2021, but it began to decrease again in 2022 by 9.9%, with last year’s figures at 8.1%. It noted that various medical interventions and societal disruptions during the pandemic may have exacerbated underlying neurological vulnerabilities.
Earlier this year, a study published in “The Lancet” revealed that 43% of the world’s population would suffer from a neurological disorder in 2021, with an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study indicating an 18% increase since 1990 in disability, illness, and premature death caused by 37 neurological conditions.
Dr. Jaimie Steinmetz from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said according to the Guardian: “As the leading global cause of total disease burden, and with a 59% increase in cases globally since 1990, neurological diseases need to be addressed through effective, culturally acceptable, and affordable prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care strategies.”
