Burden of cardiovascular disease among the Western Pacific region and its association with human resources for health, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: A comprehensive profile of cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden and human resources for health (HRH) distribution in the WHO Western Pacific region has yet to be presented. Studies on the relationship between HRH and CVD in this region are limited. We aimed to describe CVD trends and HRH density in the Western Pacific region and explore the association of HRH with CVD burden. Methods: Estimates of CVD deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, and the annual density of HRH was retrieved from GBD 2019. We presented trends in CVD burden and HRH density across 31 Western Pacific countries. Spearman rank correlation analysis and generalized linear models were used to examine associations between CVD burden and HRH density. Findings: = -0.73), especially strong associations between CVD burden and the density of dentistry personnel, aides & emergency medical workers, and medical laboratory technicians. Interpretation: CVD remains a pressing public health issue in the Western Pacific region where noticeable shortages in health workers exist. The negative associations between CVD burden and HRH density suggest that health workers, especially dentistry personnel, aides & emergency medical staff, and medical laboratory technicians merit more investment to reduce the CVD burden.