The SINAN registry records 'Noise-induced hearing loss' as an occupational health concept for surveillance and notification [1]. In the clinical literature, NIHL is defined as a hearing impairment resulting from exposure to loud sound, which may present as loss of perception of a narrow range of frequencies or as impaired perception of sound, including sensitivity to sound or tinnitus, and may arise gradually from chronic and repeated noise exposure or suddenly from impulse noise such as a gunshot or airhorn [3]. When such exposure occurs at work and is associated with hearing loss, it is referred to as occupational hearing loss [3]. Permanent damage occurs because loud sound overstimulates delicate hearing cells, leading to their permanent injury or death, and once lost in this manner hearing cannot be restored in humans [3].
Disease overview
OtherNoise-induced hearing loss
噪声性听力损失
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is recognized by the Brazil Ministry of Health SINAN system as a notifiable occupational health event, and is described in the broader literature as the second most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss after age-related hearing loss, affecting approximately 5% of the world's population [1][2]. It results from damage to delicate hearing cells caused by overstimulation from loud sound, whether through chronic repeated exposure or sudden impulse noise, and the resulting cell injury or death is permanent [2][3]. The largest burden is attributed to occupational noise exposure, with a systematic review estimating that 7–21% of hearing loss among workers is occupational in origin, and with prevalence declining in many industrialized countries as preventive measures have been adopted [4][2]. Beyond hearing impairment, NIHL carries physical, mental, social, and economic consequences, and non-auditory effects of environmental noise—including sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, and cognitive impairment—have also been documented [2][5].
Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile2
- 1Brazil Ministry of Health SINAN. SINAN registry entity: Noise-induced hearing loss [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/composicao/svsa/sistemas-de-informacao/sinan
- 2Natarajan N et al. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. J Clin Med. 2023 Mar 17. PMID: 36983347. doi: 10.3390/jcm12062347.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36983347/
- 3Wikipedia contributors. Noise-induced hearing loss - Wikipedia [Internet]. Wikipedia. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise-induced_hearing_loss
- 4Lie A et al. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2016 Apr. PMID: 26249711. doi: 10.1007/s00420-015-1083-5.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26249711/
- 5Basner M et al. Auditory and non-auditory effects of noise on health. Lancet. 2014 Apr 12. PMID: 24183105. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61613-X.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24183105/
- H83.3
Coverage
Reporting countries and regions
Trends by reporting country
Monthly patterns over time
Research Radar
Recent related research
Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Literature links are provided for discovery and do not alter or validate the surveillance series above.
Data access
Page dataset index with source links and update metadata.
Official sourcesAuthority, cadence, notes1
Brazil DATASUS SINAN
Brazil
Brazil Ministry of Health DATASUS/SINAN public DBC microdata aggregated to national monthly notification counts.