Voluntary progress toward universal newborn hearing screening. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2004 Feb;68(2):165-74
Date
01/17/2004Pubmed ID
14725983DOI
10.1016/j.ijporl.2003.10.010Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0347951050 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 7 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the prevalence of newborn hearing screening in Wisconsin between 1997 and 2001, and examined factors leading to establishment of programs and influencing the outcomes of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). The primary goal was to identify characteristics that might be important for states, provinces or countries that have not yet implemented UNHS programs and to examine some unique components of the Wisconsin UNHS program, that may provide direction to areas both with and without programs.
METHODS: The study consisted of two cross-sectional surveys administered at two separate time points (2000 and 2001). Additional data was provided by the Wisconsin Sound Beginnings Early Detection and Hearing Intervention database.
RESULTS: Between 1997 and 2001, the number of Wisconsin birthing hospitals with UNHS programs increased from two to 92 of a total of 103 and the percent of all Wisconsin newborns screened for hearing loss before 1-month of age increased from 10 to 90%. In 2001, 2.6% of screened newborns had an abnormal test requiring further audiologic evaluation, with a higher rate of referral in programs relying only on otoacoustic emission testing versus automatic auditory brainstem testing. As programs were being established, hospitals with greater number of deliveries more readily developed UNHS programs and hospitals with more deliveries were also significantly more likely to screen a greater percentage of delivered children once their programs were established. The Wisconsin Sound Beginnings program established a screening program for home birth infants in 2002 with a current screen rate of 79% for those midwives participating in this program.
CONCLUSIONS: A vast majority of Wisconsin hospitals have voluntarily implemented UNHS programs. By 2001, greater than 90% of all Wisconsin newborns were screened through a UNHS program. With education, financial support and a statewide network dedicated to UNHS it is possible to establish programs even for infants born in a setting that should be considered high-risk to miss hearing screening, such as home births and hospitals that perform relatively few numbers of deliveries per year. UNHS programs need to develop coordinated systems for linking these programs to audiologic diagnostic services and early intervention programs.
Author List
Kerschner JE, Meurer JR, Conway AE, Fleischfresser S, Cowell MH, Seeliger E, George VAuthors
Joseph E. Kerschner MD Provost, Executive Vice President, Dean, Professor in the School of Medicine Administration department at Medical College of WisconsinJohn R. Meurer MD, MBA Institute Director, Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Cross-Sectional StudiesEvoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
Female
Hearing Loss
Hospitals
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Neonatal Screening
Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous
Persons With Hearing Impairments
Wisconsin
