School entry level tele-hearing screening in a town in South India - Lessons learnt

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Public Health
• Telemedicine

Background:

• School-based hearing screening is crucial in developing nations lacking newborn programs.
• Limited resources hinder traditional hearing screening initiatives.
• Telehealth offers a viable solution for extending audiological services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of school hearing screening utilizing telehealth.
• To assess the efficacy of remote audiological assessments conducted by a distant practitioner.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-one children underwent both in-person and telehealth hearing screenings.
• Remote operation of audiometers, DPOAE systems, and video otoscopes via specialized software.
• Secure videoconferencing and internet connectivity were established using mobile hotspots/dongles.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found between in-person and telehealth screening methods (PTA and DPOAE).
• Over 87% concurrence was achieved for in-person versus tele-video-otoscopy.
• Identified challenges in tele-hearing screening included technical, child-related, and school-related factors.

Conclusions:

• Synchronous hearing screening services are feasible in schools via telehealth.
• Mobile hotspot/dongle connectivity supports tele-audiology in areas with restricted internet bandwidth.
• Addressing identified challenges can enhance tele-audiology service delivery.