Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 54 12 2025 12 31 2712 2723 Xin Gong Department of Otolaryngology, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Yongqi Dong Department of Gastroenterology, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Yinxia Xu Children Health Care Center, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Chao Yuan Department of Otolaryngology, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Xiaoling Zhang Department of Otolaryngology, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Shiyong Xiao Department of Clinical Nutrition, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Dan Wu Department of Dermatology, Wushan County People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, 404700, China Deping Wang Department of Otolaryngology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China 2025 05 04 2025 06 21 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. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/38998 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/38998/8731