Auditory effects and consequences of noise pollution in humans: A scoping review

Abstract

Noise is widespread in everyday life and can cause both auditory and non-auditory health impacts. Noise-induced hearing loss remains highly prevalent in occupational settings and is now increasingly caused by exposure to social and environmental noise. Incidence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been observed to increase substantially in the recent years. Several advances have taken place in past few years for understanding the molecular basis of NIHL. Our understanding of molecular mechanisms implicated in noise-induced hair-cell and nerve damage has significantly increased. Research in the field of genetics is also advancing at a rapid speed, and several genes linked to NIHL have been discovered. This could help in developing preventive and treatment strategies. This review article focuses on the current research and future trends on auditory effects and consequences of noise pollution in humans, stressing the importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies as a public health measures.