Epidemiological trends and burden analysis of cervical cancer attributable to unsafe sex: A population-based study from 1990 to 2019

BackgroundUnsafe sex is recognized as an important risk factor for cervical cancer (CC). Understanding the global disease burden of CC attributable to unsafe sex can assist policymakers in allocating healthcare resources.MethodsData were obtained from the 2019 global burden of disease database (GBD). We examined global, regional, and national levels of CC mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and age-standardized rates (ASRs) caused by unsafe sex. ASRs were evaluated using estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs).ResultsAttributable to unsafe sex, there were 280,479 CC-related deaths in 2019 and 8,955,013 CC-related DALYs. In the period 1990-2019, the global ASRs of CC due to unsafe sex decreased around the world; for age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR), the EAPCs were -0.93 and -0.95. The highest ASMRs and ASDRs were found in central sub-Saharan Africa and the lowest in Australasia.ConclusionIn the past few decades, the ASMR and ASDR of CC caused by unsafe sexual practices have decreased over time, with significant variations observed among different countries and regions. Increased focus is needed on spreading awareness about sexual health and promoting CC prevention and screening, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.