Abstract: Objective: To analyze trends in the psoriasis disease burden in China from 1990 to 2021 and quantify the effects of age, period, and birth cohort. Methods: Using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data, we extracted prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for psoriasis in China. Joinpoint regression analysis calculated annual average percentage changes (AAPC). Age-period-cohort (APC) modeling assessed temporal trends and quantified effects. Decomposition analysis evaluated contributions from population aging, growth, and epidemiological transitions. Results: From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized incidence rate, prevalence rate, and DALYs rate of psoriasis in China increased significantly, with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of 0.74%, 0.88%, and 0.88% respectively. All these rates were higher than the global growth tates during the same period (0.27%, 0.24%, 0.29%). In 2021, the three rates reached 59.7/10⁵, 474.02/10⁵ and 41.23/10⁵ respectively. In 2021, the disease burden of psoriasis in males was higher than that in females, and the age distribution showed a bimodal pattern. Decomposition analysis indicated that the growth of DALYs was mainly attributed to population aging. Conclusion: The burden of psoriasis in China is accelerating, with distinct gender differences and age stratification characteristics. Aging is the core driver, necessitating enhanced prevention and treatment.

Key words: psoriasis, disease burden, decomposition analysis, China