[The Hungarian Neonatal Hearing Screening Registry: insights from five years of operation]
Anita Gáborján1, Miklós Szabó2, Gábor Katona3
11 Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Klinika Budapest, Szigony u. 36., 1083 Magyarország.
Introduction:
Newborn hearing screening plays a crucial role in the early detection and treatment of hearing loss.
Objective:
This study presents a database developed by Hungarian software engineers, designed for the collection and analysis of data on hearing screening and subsequent care. The National Newborn Hearing Screening Registry has been collecting data since September 1, 2019, on mandatory objective hearing screening conducted in neonatal units and neonatal intensive care centres, along with confirmations from five designated verification centres. The aim of the study is to describe the structure of the database and to analyze the data collected.
Method:
The registry aggregates data from screening devices performing brainstem-evoked response audiometry (BERA) via machine-to-machine communication. Indicators were defined and analyzed using registry data collected over a five-year period (2020-2024) and evaluated annually.
Results:
During the study period, hearing screening data for a total of 345,945 newborns were recorded in the database. According to the registry data, screening coverage was 80.16%. Among screened newborns, 6.14% were referred due to suspected hearing loss. Only 16.81% of those who had a positive screening result underwent audiological evaluation at a verification centre, according to the transferred data.
Discussion:
Data reported to the registry indicate that newborn hearing screening is not yet comprehensive. The high rate of suspected cases places an increased burden on the health care system and affected families. There is a low rate of data transfer to verification centres, raising concerns regarding access to adequate audiological diagnostics and treatment for screened children.
Conclusion:
These findings underscore the importance of standardized data collection for effective hearing rehabilitation. The results provide insight into care pathways and highlight critical deficiencies in the system that require improvement. Data collection alone is insufficient; continuous data and patient follow-up are essential. Enhancing the involvement and awareness of health visitors and pediatricians is also key, which constitutes one of the main objectives of this study. Orv Hetil. 2025; 166(47): 1869-1876.
