Burden of Depressive Disorders in Indonesia: Trends and Spatiotemporal Analysis of DALYs Lost by Gender and Age, 1990–2021

Depressive disorders are an increasing public health concern in Indonesia, with rising trends and widening regional disparities. This study aims to analyze the burden of depressive disorders by assessing temporal trends and spatiotemporal patterns of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost across gender and age groups from 1990 to 2021.

Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) using the GBD data wrapper. Joinpoint trend analysis was used to estimate the Annual Percent Change (APC) in DALYs lost across three age groups (<20, 20–54, ≥55 years) and by gender. Spatiotemporal analysis compared the provincial distribution of DALYs lost in 1990, 2019, and 2021 to capture patterns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DALYs lost due to depressive disorders increased across all age groups over the study period, with the sharpest rise observed in those aged <20 years between 2019 and 2021. Spatiotemporal mapping indicated widening provincial disparities, with particularly high burdens among females in Aceh, North Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua. The 20–54 age group consistently contributed the largest proportion of DALYs lost, while both younger and older populations also showed increasing trends.

These findings suggest that Indonesia’s growing and uneven depressive disorder burden reflects persistent gaps in mental health service access, early detection, and targeted interventions. The pronounced disparities across gender, age, and provinces highlight the need for more equitable, data-driven mental health planning and resource allocation.

Depressive disorders in Indonesia continue to rise, with widening regional disparities and the greatest burden observed among females and the working-age population.