Global Temporal Trends in Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Young Adults Aged 15-39 Years and Projections to 2040
-
Xin Gong
,
Yongqi Dong
,
Yinxia Xu
,
Chao Yuan
,
Xiaoling Zhang
,
Shiyong Xiao
,
Dan Wu
,
Deping Wang
Abstract
Background: Hearing loss (HL) constitutes a significant hazard to the health and social welfare, yet there is a lack of data on its burden in young adults (YAs) aged 15-39 yr. This study aimed to delineate the global temporal trends and predict the future burden of HL in YAs.
Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease study 2021, we analyzed the prevalent cases and age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) of HL in YAs by age, sex, and Socio-demographic Index(SDI). The age-period-cohort (APC) model was used to assess trends, while the Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort (BAPC) model projected future epidemiological trajectories.
Results: Globally, HL prevalent cases in YAs increased from 171.77 million (95% CI: 145.95–200.16) in 1992 to 256.16 million (95% CI: 222.49–293.87) in 2021. The ASPR rose from 7862.80 to 8474.66 per 100,000 over this period, with males consistently showing higher rates than females. APC analysis revealed age-dependent increases in hearing loss risk, adverse period effects in recent years (2012–2021), and a peak relative risk in the 1997–2006 birth cohort. The BAPC model projects 291.37 million (95% CI: 182.25–400.49) prevalent cases by 2040.
Conclusion: The global burden of HL in YAs is rising, particularly since the relative risk of HL has continued to grow during the last 10 years, highlighting the need for further research and intervention.
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19. Brunnberg E, Lindén-Boström M, Berglund M (2008). Tinnitus and hearing loss in 15-16-year-old students: mental health symptoms, substance use, and exposure in school. Int J Audiol, 47(11):688–94.
20. Wang S, Liu S, Li K, et al (2024). A systemat-ic analysis of the burden of disease at-tributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss in China based on the 2019 global burden of disease study. BMC Public Health, 24(1):3423.
21. Teixeira LR, Pega F, de Abreu W, et al (2021). The prevalence of occupational expo-sure to noise: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. Environ Int, 154:106380.
22. Khoza-Shangase K, Moroe NF, Edwards A (2020). Occupational Hearing loss in Af-rica: An interdisciplinary view of the current status. S Afr J Commun Disord, 67(2):e1–e3.
23. Huang GJ, Fan ZJ, Lu BQ (2025). The glob-al prevalence of complete hearing loss in 204 countries and territories from 1992 to 2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021. Front Public Health, 13:1526719.
24. Haile LM, Orji AU, Reavis KM, et al (2024). Hearing Loss Prevalence, Years Lived With Disability, and Hearing Aid Use in the United States From 1990 to 2019: Findings From the Global Burden of Disease Study. Ear Hear, 45(1):257–67.
25. Verma RR, Konkimalla A, Thakar A, et al (2021). Prevalence of hearing loss in In-dia. Natl Med J India, 34(4):216–222.
2. Sarant J, Lemke U, Giroud N, et al (2024). Promoting hearing and cognitive health in audiologic rehabilitation for the well-being of older adults. Int J Audiol, 63(10):761–71.
3. World Health Organization (2021). World report on hearing [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240020481
4. Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, et al (2020). Dementia prevention, interven-tion, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. Lancet, 396(10248):413–46.
5. Tan Y, Fang L, Zhu Y, et al (2024). Relation-ship between hearing loss and depres-sion: A cross-sectional analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Exami-nation Survey 2015-2018. J Psychiatr Res, 178:1–7.
6. Monzani D, Galeazzi GM, Genovese E, et al (2008). Psychological profile and so-cial behaviour of working adults with mild or moderate hearing loss. Acta Oto-rhinolaryngol Ital, 28(2):61-6.
7. Speroni J, Fanniff AM, Edgemon JM, et al (2023). Alcohol mixed with energy drinks and aggressive behaviors in ado-lescents and young adults: A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev, 104:102319.
8. Mokdad AH, Forouzanfar MH, Daoud F, et al (2016). Global burden of diseases, in-juries, and risk factors for young peo-ple’s health during 1990-2013: a systemat-ic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet, 387(10036):2383–401.
9. Chawla J, Lovato N, Wong M, et al (2024). Optimising sleep in adolescents: The challenges. Aust J Gen Pract, 53(6):379–86.
10. Pupi V, Bressi C, Porcelli PM, et al (2025). Hikikomori (prolonged social withdraw-al) and co-occurring psychiatric disor-ders and symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A scoping review. Compr Psychiatry, 138:152573.
11. Nambirajan MK, Vidusha K, Kailasam JG, et al (2025). Association between smartphone addiction and sedentary behaviour amongst children, adoles-cents and young adults: A Systematic Review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res, 184:128–39.
12. Zhou R, Zhang L, Liu Z, et al (2025). Emo-tion regulation difficulties and disor-dered eating in adolescents and young adults: a meta-analysis. J Eat Disord, 13(1):25.
13. Elmazoska I, Mäki-Torkko E, Granberg S, et al (2024). Associations Between Rec-reational Noise Exposure and Hearing Function in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 67(2):688–710.
14. Gore FM, Bloem PJN, Patton GC, et al (2011). Global burden of disease in young people aged 10-24 years: a sys-tematic analysis. Lancet, 377(9783):2093–102.
15. GBD 2021 Diseases and Injuries Collabo-rators (2024). Global incidence, preva-lence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 coun-tries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analy-sis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet, 403(10440):2133–61.
16. Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network (2024). Global Burden of Dis-ease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) 1950-2021. Seattle, United States of America: Insti-tute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
17. Lin YY, Chen HC, Lai WS, et al (2017). Gender Differences in the Association between Moderate Alcohol Consump-tion and Hearing Threshold Shifts. Sci Rep, 7(1):2201.
18. Park YH, Shin SH, Byun SW, et al (2016). Age- and Gender-Related Mean Hearing Threshold in a Highly-Screened Popula-tion: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012. PLoS One, 11(3):e0150783.
19. Brunnberg E, Lindén-Boström M, Berglund M (2008). Tinnitus and hearing loss in 15-16-year-old students: mental health symptoms, substance use, and exposure in school. Int J Audiol, 47(11):688–94.
20. Wang S, Liu S, Li K, et al (2024). A systemat-ic analysis of the burden of disease at-tributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss in China based on the 2019 global burden of disease study. BMC Public Health, 24(1):3423.
21. Teixeira LR, Pega F, de Abreu W, et al (2021). The prevalence of occupational expo-sure to noise: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. Environ Int, 154:106380.
22. Khoza-Shangase K, Moroe NF, Edwards A (2020). Occupational Hearing loss in Af-rica: An interdisciplinary view of the current status. S Afr J Commun Disord, 67(2):e1–e3.
23. Huang GJ, Fan ZJ, Lu BQ (2025). The glob-al prevalence of complete hearing loss in 204 countries and territories from 1992 to 2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021. Front Public Health, 13:1526719.
24. Haile LM, Orji AU, Reavis KM, et al (2024). Hearing Loss Prevalence, Years Lived With Disability, and Hearing Aid Use in the United States From 1990 to 2019: Findings From the Global Burden of Disease Study. Ear Hear, 45(1):257–67.
25. Verma RR, Konkimalla A, Thakar A, et al (2021). Prevalence of hearing loss in In-dia. Natl Med J India, 34(4):216–222.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 54 No 12 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Hearing loss Young adults Age-period-cohort analysis Temporal trends Global burden of disease | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Gong X, Dong Y, Xu Y, Yuan C, Zhang X, Xiao S, Wu D, Wang D. Global Temporal Trends in Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Young Adults Aged 15-39 Years and Projections to 2040. Iran J Public Health. 2025;54(12):2712-2723.
