Global trends in hearing loss among the working-age population: a 30-year epidemiological analysis

Hearing loss (HL) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with a particularly severe impact on low- and middle-income countries and causing a huge economic burden. While child HL prevention exists, working-age adults (WAP) struggle to avoid occupational and environmental risks.

Using Global Burden of Disease 2021 data, this study analyzed global HL prevalence trends in the WAP (1992-2021). Analyses included age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR), estimated annual percentage change, and age-period-cohort (APC) modeling, stratified by gender, age, cause, severity, and Social Demographic Index (SDI).

Global WAP HL prevalence significantly increased to 524 million in 2021 (a 56.9% increase since 1992), primarily due to population growth and aging. Age period cohort (APC) analysis revealed different patterns: as age increases, risk increases and cyclical effects generally increased (except in low SDI regions). The upward trend of birth cohorts in high to middle SDI countries was worrying. In addition, this study also observed that there was a gender difference in the prevalence trend of HL in WAP (male incidence rate was higher, but female growth was faster), and the patient population was gradually younger. Improved trends from 2017-2021 globally and regionally suggest a potential, albeit unexpected, positive influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on HL prevalence.

The global HL burden in the WAP is large and uneven, necessitating targeted interventions focusing on modifiable risks and SDI disparities. Further research is essential to understand the trends observed during the COVID-19 pandemic and to improve prevention strategies.