Abstract
Background and Purpose: Occupational noise has long been recognized as a significant risk factor for hearing loss, particularly among workers. We herein aimed to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the temporal and sex heterogeneity in the burden of hearing loss attributable to occupational noise in China from 1990 to 2019.
Methods: We extracted data on the burden of hearing loss attributable to occupational noise from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and the annual percentage change (APC) were computed. The Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trends in the burden of disease attributable to occupational noise exposure from 1990 to 2019 and calculate the average APC.
Results: In China, the DALYs attributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss in 2019 were 2.3277 million [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 1.5779–3.3478 million], marking a 70.95% increase compared with that in 1990. Throughout the study period, DALY rates exhibited a declining trend, with rates of 127.7 per 100,000 (95% UI: 87.4–181.4) in 1990 and 119.8 per 100,000 (95% UI: 81.2–182.1) in 2019. Using the Joinpoint regression model, the APC in age-standardized DALY rates for occupational noise-related hearing loss initially increased from 1990 to 2000, followed by a decline, reaching its lowest point in 2015. From a sex perspective, the burden of DALYs in Chinese males exceeded that in females, although the rate of decline was less pronounced in females. With regard to age, the number and rate of DALYs attributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss generally increased with age, particularly among middle-aged individuals and older adults . However, from 1990 to 2019, the number of DALYs attributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss decreased among young people aged 15–19 years, accompanied by a significant reduction in DALY rates.
Conclusion: Hearing loss attributable to occupational noise represents a substantial public health concern, especially among middle-aged and older adult workers in China. These findings underscore the importance of implementing effective measures to mitigate occupational noise exposure.