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Improvement of return rates in a Neonatal Hearing Screening Program: the contribution of social work
Maria de Fátima de Campos Françozo1, Juliana Cristina Fernandes, Maria Cecília Marconi Pinheiro Lima
1CEPRE - Center for Studies and Research in Rehabilitation, School of Medical Science - State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP Brazil. mfcf@unicamp.br
Insights
Providing detailed information significantly improved follow-up rates for neonatal hearing screening in underprivileged populations. Educating mothers about early hearing loss detection is crucial for infant health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Audiology
Background:
- Neonatal hearing screening is vital for early detection of hearing loss.
- Previous return rates for follow-up screenings were comparable to national averages.
- The study population primarily consists of economically underprivileged individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of a Neonatal Hearing Screening Program.
- To improve follow-up return rates among infants who failed initial screenings.
- To investigate the impact of maternal knowledge on screening participation.
Main Methods:
- A strategy was developed to provide detailed information to mothers about the screening process and consequences of hearing loss.
- Preliminary data indicated low maternal knowledge regarding neonatal hearing screening.
- The intervention focused on enhancing understanding of early detection benefits.
Main Results:
- The no-return rate for the second screening decreased significantly from 39.8% to 25.8%.
- Maternal education on hearing screening and its importance positively impacted follow-up rates.
- Social work played a role in facilitating information dissemination.
Conclusions:
- Adequate information delivery is essential for engaging underprivileged populations in neonatal hearing screening.
- Maternal knowledge is a key factor in ensuring infants utilize free hearing screening programs.
- Targeted educational strategies can improve participation and health outcomes for newborns.
Abstract:
This paper aims to describe the implementation of a Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in a school hospital, focusing on the return rates among infants who failed the first screening. The population who goes to the school hospital for health services comes mainly from economically underprivileged groups. Even though our previous return rates were comparable to those reported elsewhere, we felt it was important to improve the methodology of the screening process in order to try and obtain better results. Our hypothesis was that scarce knowledge on early hearing loss detection and on the benefits of early intervention could be reasons for mothers to give less importance to the second screening. So, a strategy was developed around the idea of providing very detailed information to the mothers about the screening process since preliminary data, gathered with a different group of in-patients, had shown that mothers possessed little knowledge about neonatal hearing screening and the consequences of hearing loss for children's development. The no-return rates decreased considerably (from 39.8% to 25.8%). The findings of this research showed both the need of an adequate way of imparting information to the mothers of newborns about hearing screening in economically underprivileged populations, and the role of social work in this process. Without adequate knowledge on hearing screening and the consequences of hearing loss, a high percentage of newborns may not take advantage of free universal hearing screening programs.
