Keywords
COVID-19
Global Burden of Disease
Prevalence
Colombia
Chronic diseases
Public health
Emergency
How to Cite
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe asthma mortality trends in Colombia from 1990 to 2021 and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 period.
METHODS: Retrospective and observational study, carried out from the analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2021 were used to estimate age-standardized prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for asthma in Colombia. Additionally, crude asthma mortality data for the period 2015–2023 were obtained from the National Department of Statistics of Colombia (DANE). Temporal trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression, and crude mortality rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were compared to estimate excess mortality.
RESULTS: A significant decline in asthma mortality was observed in Colombia between 1990 and 2021 (average annual percent change [AAPC]: −1.5%; 95%CI: −1.7 to −1.3), consistent with global trends. However, during 2020–2021, asthma-related mortality in Colombia increased from 0.43 to 0.63 per 100,000 population compared with the 2015–2019 period (RR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.35–1.64), with a greater relative increase among individuals older than 65 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite sustained reductions in asthma mortality over three decades in Colombia, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a substantial increase in asthma-related deaths, highlighting the importance of maintaining continuity of care for chronic diseases during public health emergency.
KEYWORDS: Asthma; COVID-19 pandemic; Global Burden of Disease; Prevalence; Colombia; Chronic diseases; Public health; Emergency.
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