Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness. This study aims to analyze regional differences on the global burden of AMD and help direct related policy making. Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) data were collected from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2017 to estimate the AMD burden. Mean education years, human development index (HDI) and Public Health Expenditure were extracted from the Human Development Report 2018, and latitude data were obtained from the Google Earth. These four factors were analyzed to see their importance in regional differences of AMD burden, using Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn’s multiple comparisons test as well as regression analysis. Global age-standardized DALY rates have decreased since 2011. Based on the WHO region system, age-standardized DALY rates in African and Eastern Mediterranean region were significantly lower than those of other four regions. Linear regression analysis indicated that age-standardized DALY rates were inversely related to HDI and mean education years. The age-standardized AMD burden had a decreasing tendency recently. Lower socioeconomic status and fewer education years were associated with higher AMD burden. The finding of this study may highlight the importance of national development and education on relieving AMD burden.

中文翻译：

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与年龄有关的黄斑变性的全球负担的区域差异。

与年龄有关的黄斑变性（AMD）是失明的主要原因。本研究旨在分析AMD在全球负担方面的地区差异，并帮助指导相关政策制定。从2017年全球疾病负担研究（GBD）中收集了残疾调整生命年（DALY）数据，以估计AMD的负担。平均教育年，人类发展指数（HDI）和公共卫生支出摘自《 2018年人类发展报告》，纬度数据来自Google Earth。使用Kruskal-Wallis检验，Dunn的多重比较检验以及回归分析对这四个因素进行了分析，以了解它们在AMD负担区域差异中的重要性。自2011年以来，全球年龄标准化的DALY比率有所下降。根据WHO区域系统，非洲和东地中海地区的年龄标准化DALY率明显低于其他四个地区。线性回归分析表明，年龄标准化的DALY率与HDI和平均受教育年限成反比。年龄标准化的AMD负担最近呈下降趋势。较低的社会经济地位和较少的受教育年限与较高的AMD负担相关。这项研究的发现可能突出了国家发展和教育对减轻AMD负担的重要性。较低的社会经济地位和较少的受教育年限与较高的AMD负担相关。这项研究的发现可能突出了国家发展和教育对减轻AMD负担的重要性。较低的社会经济地位和较少的受教育年限与较高的AMD负担相关。这项研究的发现可能突出了国家发展和教育对减轻AMD负担的重要性。