Evolution of Italian Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the state of implementation of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programs in Italy and to determine the effect that an ad hoc legislation may have on the percentage of infants screened for detection of hearing impairment in nurseries.

Italian Newborn Hearing Screening data were obtained during four national surveys (years 2003, 2006, 2008, and 2011). The screening rates obtained by the Regions which adopted or did not adopt a legislation to increase the newborns' coverage were compared.

In 2011, the average coverage rate was 78.3%, but in 12 out of 20 Regions it exceeded 95%. Coverage rate was greater in Regions that implemented an ad hoc legislation compared to Regions that did not. As a matter of fact, Regions which passed the legislation screened more than 95% of infants, whereas Regions without legislation reported a mean screening rate of nearly 67% of newborns.

Current results seem to confirm that a specific legislation might have a decisive effect on the increase of rate of coverage of newborn hearing screenings.