Introduction:
Our aim was to analyze the regional and national levels of the global burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) among young adults (aged 15-49).

Material and methods:
To evaluate a nation's level of development, a composite statistic called socio-demographic indexes (SDI) was utilized. We analyzed the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate related to RA in individuals. Additionally, we estimated the annual percentage changes (EAPCs) for the aforementioned parameters.

Results:
From 1990 to 2019, there was a positive trend in the ASIR of and age-standardized DALY rate due to RA in young adults. The high-SDI region experienced the highest ASIR and age-standardized DALY rates due to RA, with significant increases in these parameters during the same period (EAPC = 0.46 and 0.41, respectively). The region that witnessed the largest increase in the ASIR of RA in young adults was Andean Latin America (EAPC = 1.48), while Qatar had the highest increase among countries (EAPC = 2.30). Similarly, Andean Latin America recorded the highest increase in the age-standardized DALY rate due to RA (EAPC = 0.98), with Qatar leading the increases among countries (EAPC = 2.01).

Conclusions:
From 1990 to 2019, there was a notable increase in both the age-standardized DALY rates and ASIRs associated with RA in young adults. This positive trend was particularly evident in high-SDI regions. However, it is worth noting that the impact of RA on young adults in low-income areas of Andean Latin America was also substantial. Similarly, a similar scenario was observed in Qatar.