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Overview of newborn hearing screening programs in Brazilian maternity hospitals
Hannalice Gottschalck Cavalcanti1, Luciana Pimentel Fernandes de Melo1, Laisa Flávia Soares Fernandes Peixoto Buarque1
1Department of Phonoaudiology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
Insights
Newborn hearing screening in Brazil shows variable coverage and adherence challenges. Enhancing these programs requires government, physician, and societal involvement to effectively identify hearing loss in infants.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Newborn hearing screening aims for early identification of hearing loss in infants.
- Quality indicators are crucial benchmarks for effective newborn hearing screening programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current state of national newborn hearing screening programs in Brazil.
- To evaluate the implementation of quality indicators within these programs.
Main Methods:
- An integrative literature review was conducted.
- Searches were performed across databases including MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, and Google.
Main Results:
- Transient otoacoustic emissions were the predominant screening method.
- Screening coverage varied significantly, with few facilities reaching the 95% target.
- Referral rates for diagnostic procedures were below 4%, but adherence issues pose follow-up barriers.
- The incidence of hearing loss ranged from 0% to 1.09%.
Conclusions:
- Significant improvements in newborn hearing screening coverage and follow-up adherence are needed in Brazil.
- Multisectoral collaboration involving government, healthcare professionals, and society is essential for program success.
- Addressing adherence barriers is critical to achieving the goals of early hearing loss detection.
Introduction:
Newborn hearing screening has as its main objective the early identification of hearing loss in newborns and infants. In order to guarantee good results, quality indicators for newborn hearing screening programs are used as benchmarks.
Objective:
To observe and describe the reality of national newborn hearing screening programs in Brazil, and to evaluate if they can be referred to as having quality indicators.
Methods:
Integrative literature review in databases such as MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, and Google.
Results:
22 articles were analyzed in relation to newborn hearing screening coverage, the place and period newborn hearing screening was performed, initial results, referral to diagnostic procedures, loss to follow-up, and occurrence of hearing loss.
Conclusion:
Transient otoacoustic emissions were the most often used screening methodology. Coverage varied widely, and only a few maternity wards achieved 95% of the cases screened. Referral to diagnostic procedures was under 4%, but lack of adherence can be considered a barrier to successful follow-up. The occurrence of hearing loss ranged from 0% to 1.09%. The involvement of government, physicians, and society is necessary, so that the goals of newborn hearing screening can be achieved.
