Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study

Background Hearing loss is a global health issue affecting millions and imposing a significant burden. This study aimed to retrospectively and predictively assess the prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to hearing loss, stratified by sociodemographic index (SDI), age, and sex.Metho...

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Main Authors: Ying Shen, Tianjiao Zhou, Wentao Zou, Jiaxiong Zhang, Shuwen Yan, Haibo Ye, Weijun Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Annals of Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2527367
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author Ying Shen
Tianjiao Zhou
Wentao Zou
Jiaxiong Zhang
Shuwen Yan
Haibo Ye
Weijun Huang
author_facet Ying Shen
Tianjiao Zhou
Wentao Zou
Jiaxiong Zhang
Shuwen Yan
Haibo Ye
Weijun Huang
author_sort Ying Shen
collection DOAJ
description Background Hearing loss is a global health issue affecting millions and imposing a significant burden. This study aimed to retrospectively and predictively assess the prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to hearing loss, stratified by sociodemographic index (SDI), age, and sex.Methods Data from the 2021 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) were used to analyze the prevalence and YLD burden of hearing loss across different subgroups. Age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR), age-standardized YLD rates (ASYR), and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess trends.Results In 2021, over 1.5 billion individuals had hearing loss, resulting in significant disability burden. EAPCs for ASPR and ASYR from 1990 to 2021 were 0.16 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.15-0.17) and 0.17 (0.16-0.18) respectively. Regions with middle SDI had the highest prevalence, ASPR, YLDs, and ASYR, while high SDI regions had the lowest. ASYR and ASPR were negatively correlated with SDI across regions in most regions. Males had significantly higher ASPR and ASYR than females. ASPR and ASYR increased with age. Projections from 2022 to 2050 indicated a continued rise in ASPR, with a slight decline in ASYR.Conclusions Hearing loss burden increased from 1990 to 2021, with notable differences across regions, genders, and age groups. High SDI areas had the lowest burden, while middle SDI regions experienced the most severe hearing loss. Low SDI areas had a higher disability ratio relative to prevalence. Males and older adults bore a disproportionately high burden of hearing loss.
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spelling doaj-art-35c0b4268e2940fbb1bed65d11a5899b2025-08-20T02:42:16ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602025-12-0157110.1080/07853890.2025.2527367Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease studyYing Shen0Tianjiao Zhou1Wentao Zou2Jiaxiong Zhang3Shuwen Yan4Haibo Ye5Weijun Huang6Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaBackground Hearing loss is a global health issue affecting millions and imposing a significant burden. This study aimed to retrospectively and predictively assess the prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to hearing loss, stratified by sociodemographic index (SDI), age, and sex.Methods Data from the 2021 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) were used to analyze the prevalence and YLD burden of hearing loss across different subgroups. Age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR), age-standardized YLD rates (ASYR), and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess trends.Results In 2021, over 1.5 billion individuals had hearing loss, resulting in significant disability burden. EAPCs for ASPR and ASYR from 1990 to 2021 were 0.16 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.15-0.17) and 0.17 (0.16-0.18) respectively. Regions with middle SDI had the highest prevalence, ASPR, YLDs, and ASYR, while high SDI regions had the lowest. ASYR and ASPR were negatively correlated with SDI across regions in most regions. Males had significantly higher ASPR and ASYR than females. ASPR and ASYR increased with age. Projections from 2022 to 2050 indicated a continued rise in ASPR, with a slight decline in ASYR.Conclusions Hearing loss burden increased from 1990 to 2021, with notable differences across regions, genders, and age groups. High SDI areas had the lowest burden, while middle SDI regions experienced the most severe hearing loss. Low SDI areas had a higher disability ratio relative to prevalence. Males and older adults bore a disproportionately high burden of hearing loss.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2527367Global burdenhearing lossprevalencedisabilitysociodemographic indexdisease trends
spellingShingle Ying Shen
Tianjiao Zhou
Wentao Zou
Jiaxiong Zhang
Shuwen Yan
Haibo Ye
Weijun Huang
Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
Annals of Medicine
Global burden
hearing loss
prevalence
disability
sociodemographic index
disease trends
title Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
title_full Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
title_fullStr Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
title_full_unstemmed Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
title_short Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021: findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
title_sort global regional and national burden of hearing loss from 1990 to 2021 findings from the 2021 global burden of disease study
topic Global burden
hearing loss
prevalence
disability
sociodemographic index
disease trends
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2025.2527367
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