Abstract
BACKGROUND: Occupational noise has long been recognized as a significant risk factor for hearing loss, particularly among workers. This study aimed to assess the disease burden of hearing loss caused by occupational noise in China from 1990 to 2019, with a focus on differences across sex and age groups, so as to address the existing gaps in the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) reports. By analyzing changes in years lived with disability (YLDs) among different sex and age groups over the past 30 years, this study provides valuable insights for the development of occupational noise safety measures in China. METHODS: We extracted data on the burden of hearing loss attributable to occupational noise from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. R software (version 4.12) was used to calculate the YLDs, age-standardized rates (ASRs), and average annual percent change (AAPC), stratified by age and sex. The Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trends in the burden of disease attributable to occupational noise exposure from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In China, the YLDs 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, YLD 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 annual percent change (APC) in age-standardized YLD 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 YLDs 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 YLDs 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 YLDs attributable to occupational noise-induced hearing loss decreased among young people aged 15-19 years, accompanied by a significant reduction in YLDs 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.