[Evaluation of a Screening Program: Challenges of Data Collection Using the Example of the Newborn Hearing Screening]
Kristina Söhl1, Inken Brockow1, Peter Matulat2
1GE 4, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Oberschleißheim, Deutschland.
Insights
Newborn hearing screening (NHS) data in Germany is incomplete, hindering quality evaluation. Establishing precise databases and structures is crucial for accurate results in early detection of hearing disorders.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Audiology
Background:
- Newborn hearing screening (NHS) aims for early identification and treatment of bilateral hearing disorders.
- German Pediatric Directive mandates NHS evaluation after 5 years.
- First nationwide evaluation of NHS for children born 2011-2012 focused on quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- Describe challenges in collecting data for NHS evaluation.
- Suggest improvements for future data collection and analysis.
- Assess structural, process, and result quality of NHS in Germany.
Main Methods:
- Identified maternity and neonatology wards conducting NHS.
- Analyzed documentation from these wards.
- Collected data from pediatric audiologists on children with bilateral permanent congenital hearing disorders.
Main Results:
- Identifying relevant wards was difficult; over half were unaware of documentation requirements.
- Over 15% of screened children lacked documentation.
- Data on bilateral congenital hearing disorders was available for only 60% of expected cases.
Conclusions:
- Data for NHS quality evaluation (structural, process, result) was incomplete.
- Precise database definitions and established structures are needed for meaningful evaluation.
- Despite data gaps, the evaluation yielded insights into the German NHS process.
Background:
The aim of the newborn hearing screening (NHS) is to identify and treat children with bilateral hearing disorders early. The NHS is regulated in Germany by the Pediatric Directive, which recommends an evaluation after 5 years. This evaluation was performed for the first time nationwide for children born between 2011 and 2012 regarding structural, process and result quality.
Objectives:
Challenges in the collection of appropriate data as basis for evaluation are described and possible improvements are suggested.
Methods:
All maternity and neonatology wards performing the NHS were identified and their documentations of the NHS analysed. In addition, all pediatric audiologists were identified to gather data on children with bilateral permanent congenital hearing disorder.
Results:
The identification of relevant maternity and neonatology wards was very burdensome. More than half of them were not aware that NHS had to be documented. There was no documentation on more than 15% of the children that were to be screened. Furthermore, data concerning bilateral congenital hearing disorders was only accessible for 60% of the expected number of affected children.
Conclusions:
Data required for the evaluation of the NHS regarding structural, process and result quality were incomplete and missing. The database for evaluations should be defined precisely and structures needed to obtain meaningful results have to be established in advance. Nevertheless, the evaluation of the NHS provides meaningful results concerning the screening process in Germany.
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