Global burden of complete hearing loss in people aged 70 and above: 1990–2023 and projections for 2040

Objective This study aimed to describe the global and regional trends in the Disease Burden (DB) of complete hearing loss among individuals aged ≥70-years from 1990 to 2023, and to project prevalence and Years Lived with Disability (YLD) rates through 2040, so as to inform prevention and control strategies for complete hearing loss in this aging population. Methods Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study, we used Prevalence (PR) and YLD rates to describe the burden of complete hearing loss in individuals aged ≥70 years from 1990 to 2023, stratified by Socio‑Demographic Index (SDI) region, GBD region, and sex. Analytical methods included join point regression, smoothing regression, frontier analysis, slope index of inequality, concentration index, and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models. Results The DB of complete hearing loss was highest in Sub‑Saharan Africa, High‑income North America, and High‑income Asia Pacific. From 1990 to 2023, both PR and YLD declined globally, with larger decreases in low‑to‑middle SDI regions than in high‑SDI regions. A positive DB‑SDI correlation was observed only in high‑SDI settings. Regional inequality in DB lessened over the study period. Except for high‑SDI regions, future DB trends through 2040 remain uncertain globally and across the other four SDI strata. Conclusion Although the global burden of complete hearing loss has improved, regional disparities persist, indicating substantial room for further gains. More targeted interventions to improve access to diagnosis and treatment are urgently needed across regions.