Comparison of hearing screening results of Syrian refugees and Turkish newborns
Sercan Çıkrıkçı1, Huseyin Deni Z2, Secaattin Gülşen3
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Yozgat City Hospital, Yozgat, Turkey.
Insights
Syrian refugee newborns had significantly higher rates of hearing loss compared to Turkish newborns, likely due to socioeconomic factors and adverse conditions during pregnancy and birth. These findings highlight the need for targeted newborn hearing screening and support for vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Health
- Public Health
- Audiology
Background:
- Newborn hearing screening is crucial for early detection of hearing loss.
- Disparities in health outcomes exist between host and refugee populations.
- Socioeconomic factors and migration-related stress can impact maternal and infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare newborn hearing screening results between Turkish (host) and Syrian (refugee) infants.
- To identify risk factors associated with hearing loss in these two groups.
- To analyze the impact of socioeconomic status and living conditions on neonatal hearing outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) screening for 874 newborns (172 refugee, 702 host) between December 2017 and June 2019.
- Data collection included consanguineous marriage, family history of speech disorders, delivery method, birth weight, gestational week, NICU necessity, icterus, and phototherapy.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare hearing screening results and risk factors between the host and refugee groups.
Main Results:
- Refugee newborns exhibited significantly higher rates of hearing loss (43.0% failed both ears) compared to host newborns (25.8% failed both ears) (p=0.017).
- Caesarean birth rates (p=0.023) and the need for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (p=0.014) were significantly higher in the refugee group.
- Consanguineous marriage, family history of speech disorder, birth weight, birth week, newborn icterus, and phototherapy showed no significant differences between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Newborn hearing screening results are significantly affected by socioeconomic status and adverse living conditions associated with war and immigration.
- Factors such as delivery method and NICU necessity play a crucial role in neonatal hearing outcomes for vulnerable populations.
- Targeted interventions and support are essential for refugee newborns to mitigate the impact of challenging circumstances on their hearing health.
Objective:
To analyze Turkish (Host) and Syrian (Refugee) newborn hearing screening results and factors of risk.
Methods:
All newborns between 02.12.2017 and 31.06.2019 were screened with Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) test. A total of 874 newborns were examined (172 refugee and 702 host newborns). All screened patients were questioned in terms of consanguineous marriage, speech disorder in family, delivery method (normal vaginal birth/caesarean birth), birth weight, birth week, newborn intensive care unit (ICU) necessity, newborn icterus and phototherapy.
Result:
As for the host newborns, 360 (51.3%) passed ABR screening, 161 (23%) failed in either one ear, and 181 (25.8%) failed both ears. As for the refugee newborns, 60 (34.9%) passed ABR screening, 38 (22.1%) failed in either one ear, and 74 (43.0%) failed both ears. There was a significant statistical difference between host and refugee newborns' ears in terms of hearing loss detected in the screening test (p = 0.017). In terms of delivery method, the caesarean rate was higher in refugees, and a statistically significant difference existed between two groups (p = 0.023). There was a significant difference between refugee newborns and host newborns in terms of newborn ICU necessity rate (p = 0.014).
Conclusions:
It was demonstrated clearly that hearing screening test results between the two groups were affected by low socio-economic level when host and refugees newborns were compared. In line with the findings of this study, it should be taken into account that bad living conditions depending on war and immigration throughout pregnancy, delivery method, and the need for newborn ICU in the newborn period may affect hearing results in newborns significantly.
