Nanyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, 473005, China.
College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 16;24(1):2521. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20010-0.
Hearing loss in children and adolescents is attracting increasing attention as a growing public health problem. This study aimed to analyze the burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021 to provide a new basis for further epidemiological research, disease prevention, and public health policy development.
The prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of hearing loss in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021 at the global, regional, and national levels were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to assess trends in prevalence and YLDs. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between sociodemographic index (SDI) and prevalence and YLDs.
In 2021, approximately 97.83 million children and adolescents under the age of 20 years were affected by hearing loss globally, resulting in approximately 3.91 million YLDs. From 1990 to 2021, the prevalence rate increased from 3537 per 100,000 to 3711 per 100,000, with an EAPC of 0.15% (95% CI: 0.12-0.17). The burden of hearing loss was greater in low-middle-SDI region and low-SDI region. Mild hearing loss accounted for 62.1% of the total cases and was the predominant type of hearing loss. Otitis media was the leading preventable cause of hearing loss, with 46.9% of hearing loss attributed to otitis media. Moreover, in children under 5 years of age, 68.7% of hearing loss was attributed to otitis media. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the prevalence rates and YLDs rates of hearing loss were negatively correlated with the SDI (R = -0.57, P < 0.001; R = -0.64, P < 0.001).
The burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents has increased over the past three decades and remains high. The burden is greater in less economically developed countries or regions. Policymakers should pay attention to the increasing burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents and take targeted measures to control this burden.
儿童和青少年听力损失作为一个日益严重的公共卫生问题，受到越来越多的关注。本研究旨在分析 1990 年至 2021 年儿童和青少年听力损失的负担，为进一步的流行病学研究、疾病预防和公共卫生政策制定提供新的依据。
从全球疾病负担 2021 数据库中提取 1990 年至 2021 年全球、区域和国家各级儿童和青少年听力损失的患病率和伤残生命年（YLDs）。使用估计年度百分比变化（EAPC）评估患病率和 YLDs 的趋势。采用 Pearson 相关分析评估社会人口指数（SDI）与患病率和 YLDs 的关系。
2021 年，全球约有 9783 万名 20 岁以下儿童和青少年受到听力损失的影响，导致约 391 万人伤残生命年。1990 年至 2021 年，患病率从每 10 万人 3537 人增加到每 10 万人 3711 人，EAPC 为 0.15%（95%CI：0.12-0.17）。中低社会人口指数地区和低社会人口指数地区听力损失负担更重。轻度听力损失占总病例的 62.1%，是听力损失的主要类型。中耳炎是听力损失的主要可预防原因，占听力损失的 46.9%。此外，5 岁以下儿童中，68.7%的听力损失归因于中耳炎。Pearson 相关分析显示，听力损失的患病率和 YLDs 率与 SDI 呈负相关（R = -0.57，P < 0.001；R = -0.64，P < 0.001）。
过去三十年来，儿童和青少年听力损失负担增加，且负担仍然很高。在经济欠发达的国家或地区，听力损失负担更重。决策者应关注儿童和青少年听力损失负担的增加，并采取有针对性的措施来控制这一负担。
