ABSTRACT
Background: Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is a major public health concern in Africa, particularly in high-risk industries such as mining, manufacturing, and construction. While hearing conservation programmes (HCPs) exist, their effectiveness is often limited by poor enforcement, inadequate infrastructure, and low adoption of emerging technologies. Advancements in fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI), tele-audiology, mobile health (mHealth), and the internet of things (IoT) – offer new opportunities for ONIHL prevention. However, their integration into occupational hearing healthcare in Africa remains limited.
Objective: To explore technology-driven approaches to ONIHL management and HCPs in Africa, highlighting advancements, barriers, and opportunities for integrating digital solutions into occupational health frameworks.
Methods: For this narrative review, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online (AJOL) were searched for relevant articles. The selected studies were categorised as highly or moderately relevant. Thematic analysis was conducted to synthesise key findings on AI-driven audiology, tele-audiology and mHealth, IoT-integrated hearing conservation, and regulatory challenges.
Results: A total of 1 147 publications were identified, of which 55 were evaluated for relevance; 22 were included in the review. Ten were considered to be highly relevant and 12 to be moderately relevant. AIbased solutions show promise for early detection and predictive analytics in ONIHL management, but face barriers such as high costs and limited digital infrastructure. Tele-audiology and mHealth interventions can improve access to hearing healthcare in underserved areas, yet connectivity and data security challenges persist. IoT-enabled hearing protection devices enhance real-time noise monitoring, but remain underutilised due to high costs and policy gaps. Moderately relevant studies further highlight implementation barriers, including reliance on paper-based systems, low digital literacy, and limited funding for technological innovation. Weak regulatory enforcement further limits technology adoption in HCPs.
Conclusion: While 4IR technologies present significant opportunities for ONIHL prevention, their implementation in Africa requires investment, regulatory reform, and multi-sectoral collaboration. Policy updates, financial incentives, and workforce training are crucial to integrating these innovations into occupational health strategies. The African experience offers lessons for other low- and middle-income countries, and future research should prioritise examining real-world industry adoption of these technologies.