title: The prevalence and burden of bipolar disorder: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.
abstract: We present the global burden of bipolar disorder based on findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013).
  
  
  
  Data on the epidemiology of bipolar disorder were obtained from a systematic literature review and assembled using Bayesian meta-regression modelling to produce prevalence by country, age, sex and year. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated by multiplying prevalence by disability weights quantifying the severity of the health loss associated with bipolar disorder. As there were no years of life lost (YLLs) attributed to bipolar disorder, YLDs equated to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as a measure of total burden.
  
  
  
  There were 32.7 million cases of bipolar disorder globally in 1990 and 48.8 million in 2013; equivalent to a 49.1% increase in prevalent cases, all accounted for by population increase and ageing. Bipolar disorder accounted for 9.9 million DALYs in 2013, explaining 0.4% of total DALYs and 1.3% of total YLDs. There were 5.5 million DALYs recorded for female individuals and 4.4 million for male individuals. DALYs were evident from age 10 years, peaked in the 20s, and decreased thereafter. DALYs were relatively constant geographically.
  
  
  
  Despite being relatively rare, bipolar disorder is a disabling illness due to its early onset, severity and chronicity. Population growth and aging are leading to an increase in the burden of bipolar disorder over time. It is important that resources be directed towards improving the coverage of evidence-based intervention strategies for bipolar disorder and establishing strategies to prevent new cases of the disorder.
authors: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, QLD, Australia.|Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD, Australia.|University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Alize J
authors: AJ
authors: Ferrari
authors: University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Stockings
authors: Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD, Australia.
authors: Jon-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Khoo
authors: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, QLD, Australia.|Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD, Australia.|University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Holly E
authors: HE
authors: Erskine
authors: University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA.|University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: Louisa
authors: L
authors: Degenhardt
authors: University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Theo
authors: T
authors: Vos
authors: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, QLD, Australia.|Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD, Australia.|University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors: Harvey A
authors: HA
authors: Whiteford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D000071219:Global Burden of Disease / Q000379:methods; D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
keywords: bipolar disorder; disability; epidemiology; global burden of disease; prevalence