GBD 2019 | Global Hearing Loss Prevalence
Published March 11, 2021
IHME Post Bachelor Fellow Lydia Haile discusses findings from a new research paper, "Global hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study."
Over 1.5 billion people are affected by hearing loss. Of them, nearly 1 out of 3 need hearing care, and 80% live in low- and middle-income countries. Unaddressed hearing loss costs over USD980 billion annually. This is the high cost of inaction.
The paper, published in The Lancet, offers recommendations for health policymakers worldwide to take action. The GBD is a powerful tool for policymakers, health economists, researchers, and many others.