Community-based infant hearing screening in a developing country: parental uptake of follow-up services
Bolajoko O Olusanya1, Oladele O Akinyemi
1Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, University College London, London, UK. boolusanya@aol.com
Insights
Maternal factors like place of delivery marginally influenced infant hearing screening compliance. Further research is needed to understand non-compliance in childhood hearing loss prevention programs.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
Background:
- Universal newborn hearing screening is crucial for early detection of childhood hearing impairment.
- Parental participation is vital for the success of early childhood health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify maternal and infant socio-demographic factors associated with follow-up compliance in community-based infant hearing screening programs in a developing country.
Main Methods:
- A two-stage screening (transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions and automated auditory brainstem response) was implemented.
- Multivariable logistic regression analyzed factors associated with protocol completion for screening and diagnostic evaluations.
Main Results:
- No mothers declined participation; however, significant dropout rates were observed at second-stage screening (51.9%) and diagnostic evaluation (39.0%).
- Mothers delivering outside hospitals showed higher, though marginal, follow-up compliance compared to those delivering in hospitals (OR: 1.62, p=0.062).
- No other socio-demographic factors correlated with compliance.
Conclusions:
- Place of delivery was the sole, albeit marginal, factor linked to infant hearing screening compliance.
- Further investigation is required into factors like service accessibility, tracking systems, and cultural perceptions of deafness influencing non-compliance.
Background:
Universal newborn hearing screening is now considered an essential public health care for the early detection of disabling life-long childhood hearing impairment globally. However, like any health interventions in early childhood, parental support and participation is essential for achieving satisfactory uptake of services. This study set out to determine maternal/infant socio-demographic factors associated with follow-up compliance in community-based infant hearing screening programmes in a developing country.
Methods:
After health educational/counselling sessions, infants attending routine childhood immunisation clinics at four primary care centres were enrolled into a two-stage infant hearing screening programme consisting of a first-stage screening with transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions and second-stage screening with automated auditory brainstem response. Infants referred after the second-stage screening were scheduled for diagnostic evaluation within three months. Maternal and infant factors associated with completion of the hearing screening protocol were determined with multivariable logistic regression analysis.
Results:
No mother declined participation during the study period. A total of 285 out of 2,003 eligible infants were referred after the first-stage screening out of which 148 (51.9%) did not return for the second-stage, while 32 (39.0%) of the 82 infants scheduled for diagnostic evaluation defaulted. Mothers who delivered outside hospitals were significantly more likely to return for follow-up screening than those who delivered in hospitals (Odds ratio: 1.62; 95% confidence intervals: 0.98 - 2.70; p = 0.062). No other factors correlated with follow-up compliance for screening and diagnostic services.
Conclusion:
Place of delivery was the only factor that correlated albeit marginally with infant hearing screening compliance in this population. The likely influence of issues such as the number of return visits for follow-up services, ineffective tracking system and the prevailing unfavourable cultural perception towards childhood deafness on non-compliance independently or through these factors warrant further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
01:30Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...