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Early Detection and Hearing Intervention in Infants With Bilateral Moderate Hearing Loss: Based on a Nationwide
Yeon Soo Kim1, Oak Sung Choo2, Su-Kyoung Park3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Newborn hearing screening (NHS) in Korea improved auditory rehabilitation for infants with moderate hearing loss. However, regional disparities in hearing aid access and rehabilitation persist, requiring policy attention.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Universal newborn hearing screening (NHS) implementation in Korea.
- Focus on infants receiving hearing aid support via the Infantile Hearing Aid Support Program (IHASP).
- Analysis of data from the past five years (2019-2023).
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify characteristics of infants with bilateral moderate hearing loss.
- Explore effective auditory rehabilitation strategies.
- Analyze timing of hearing aid interventions and regional disparities.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) records and IHASP database (2019-2023).
- Evaluation of NHS performance, diagnostic testing, hearing loss types, and risk factors.
- Examination of program submission, hearing aid purchase timelines, and geographical matching.
Main Results:
- 540 infants with bilateral moderate hearing loss registered for IHASP out of 1,318,551 neonates.
- NHS performance rate reached 95.4% by 2023; 46.2% received diagnostic tests within 3 months.
- Only 22.4% received hearing aids within 6 months; regional disparities in access were noted.
Conclusions:
- Auditory rehabilitation effectiveness increased post-NHS implementation.
- Valuable insights into hearing status and rehabilitation outcomes for infants with moderate hearing loss.
- Results can inform policies to reduce regional disparities in auditory rehabilitation services.
Background:
The aim of this study is to review data on infants who received hearing aid support through the Infantile Hearing Aid Support Program after the settlement of universal newborn hearing screening (NHS) in the country over the past five years in Korea. This study seeks to identify the characteristics of infants with bilateral moderate hearing loss and to explore effective strategies for auditory rehabilitation by analyzing the timing of hearing aid interventions and regional disparities.
Methods:
We analyzed the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) records and the Infantile Hearing Aid Support Program database between January 2019 and December 2023. Our analysis included the NHS performance rate, NHS results, diagnostic hearing test outcomes, types of hearing loss, and the relationship between NHS results and hearing loss risk factors. Additionally, we examined the submission dates for the program, hearing aid purchase dates, types of hearing aids, and whether the residential area, prescription area, and hearing aid purchase areas matched.
Results:
In this period, a total of 1,318,551 neonates were born and 540 bilateral moderate hearing loss infants registered for the Infantile Hearing Aid Support Program. The NHS performance rate increased to 95.4% by 2023, while the proportion of infants receiving diagnostic hearing tests within three months was 46.2%. The rate of infants receiving hearing aids within six months for auditory rehabilitation was 22.4%. Although no correlation was found between risk factors for hearing loss and NHS results, it was observed that infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit or with other syndromes had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with moderate hearing loss, even if they passed the NHS. Finally, there were regional disparities in access to hearing aid prescriptions and rehabilitation.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that auditory rehabilitation achieves greater focus following the implementation of NHS. This study also provides valuable insights into the hearing status and rehabilitation outcomes of infants with moderate hearing loss. Furthermore, we anticipate that these results will contribute to informing policies aimed at reducing regional disparities in access to auditory rehabilitation services.
