Predictors of Parental Recall of Newborn Hearing Screening Program in Saudi Arabia
Mohammed A Almatrafi1, Nouf Alsahaf2, Abdulrahman Kabli2
1Department of Pediatrics, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Many parents lack awareness of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). Improving UNHS recall and follow-up systems is crucial for early detection of childhood hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood hearing impairment is a significant disability.
- Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) is recommended for all infants.
- A critical gap exists in follow-up care for newborns who fail screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental perceptions of UNHS in Saudi Arabia.
- To identify factors predicting recall of newborn hearing screening.
- To understand barriers to timely follow-up after failed screenings.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 1533 Saudi parents with children aged 0-18.
- Data collected via surveys on UNHS awareness and recall.
- Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Only 29.9% of parents recalled their child having a hearing screening at birth.
- 47.8% of parents could not remember if screening occurred.
- 75.9% of the few who reported failed screenings recalled follow-up advice.
Conclusions:
- Parental awareness of UNHS in Saudi Arabia is notably inadequate.
- Recall of hearing screening is influenced by parental demographics and newborn medical history.
- Enhanced UNHS reporting and educational initiatives are needed to improve screening recall and ensure timely follow-up for at-risk infants.
Abstract:
Hearing impairment is a prevalent disabling condition among children; all newborns should undergo a universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). Unfortunately, many newborns who fail the screening test are lost to follow-up. Our study aims to evaluate parents' perceptions of UNHS and to identify predictors for newborn hearing screening recall in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study involving Saudi parents with 0-to-18-year-old children born in Saudi Arabia was conducted. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to describe the participants' characteristics and to identify UNHS recall predictors. A total of 1533 parents were surveyed. Overall, 29.9% of them recalled a hearing screening at birth, while 22.2% reported no hearing screening, and 47.8% were unable to remember. Only (6.9%) participants reported a failed hearing screening, of which 75.9% recalled a follow-up recommendation. Females, parents aged 30-34 years, consanguineous parents, and parents of newborns who were treated with antibiotics were more likely to recall hearing screening compared to others. This study highlights inadequate awareness of UNHS among parents. Our findings support the need to improve the reporting system of UNHS results and implement educational programs to increase parents' recall of hearing test results and ensure early follow-ups for neonates with failed test results.
