The prevalence and global burden of hearing loss in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019

We aimed to describe the global prevalence and temporal trends of hearing loss. We collected detailed information of hearing loss from the Global Burden of Disease study between 1990 and 2019. Average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) in hearing loss age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), by sex, region, and category, were calculated to quantify the temporal prevalence trends. Globally, the prevalent cases of hearing loss increased from 7514.97×105 in 1990 to 14566.62×105 in 2019, and the ASPR increased from 173.33×102 per 100,000 in 1990 to 177.56×102 per 100,000 in 2019. The years lived with disability (YLDs) increased from 220080.97×102 in 1990 to 402353.05×102 in 2019. The AAPC was 83.27 (95% CI 70.66, 95.88) ×10−3 in prevalence and −72.87 (95% CI −92.18, −53.56) ×10−3 in YLDs. Significant correlations of AAPCs with ASPR (r=−0.60, p<0.001), and age-standardized YLD rate (r=−0.43, p=0.0012 for YLD<455, r=0.32, p<0.001 for YLD≥455) were detected. The YLDs of hearing loss owing to occupational noise (HLOON) increased from 39334.39 (95% UI 26881.04, 55999.67) ×102 in 1990 to 70014.49 (98% UI 47605.62, 100593.43) ×102 in 2019, and the increasing AAPC was observed for females and aged between 15 and 49 years old in global and most regions. The age effect was under zero in 7 age groups, the period effect of hearing loss prevalence was increasing and the birth cohort effect was decreasing with the time advance. The number of cases and ASPR of hearing loss in the world is still growing. Efforts to control hearing loss, especially HLOON, are imminent.