Experts committees have recommended implementing newborn hearing screening programs in order to early diagnose and enrol hearing-impaired toddlers in intervention programs. In practice, these programs may be differently implemented and hearing screening tests may be differently performed. Our objective is to establish an overview of the newborn hearing screening programs in the 28 countries of the European Union on 5 specific topics: policy-decision, financing, general designs, organisational features, and outcomes availability. Methods: National or regional program coordinators completed an online self-administered questionnaire focusing on protocol description, program organisation and outcomes. Results: Thirty-nine respondents participated in the study; 24 were represented, reporting from a national (n=15 respondents) or regional (n=24 respondents) level. Among all represented countries and regions, a newborn hearing program is or will be shortly implemented. Levels of policy decision-making and organisational decisions were diverse: national, regional, or combined. Hearing test financing frequently involved public sources, including government and public health funds. Designs of the programs are diverse: number of steps before diagnosis referral highly varied, such as single or dual target group protocols. Nonetheless, three common organisational elements were observed in the screening process: hearing screening tests are often performed by nursing staff, in hospitals, and early in life. These common elements are not encountered when a screening protocol is specifically implemented for newborns with risk factor(s) for hearing impairment or admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Outcomes about hearing screening process were widely available in the programs; on the contrary, outcomes about intervention in hearing-impaired children were less frequently available in the programs. Conclusion: Despite the same goal of early identification of hearing-impaired children, there is a high level of diversity in programs. Further investigations will analyse these differences in relation to the programs' contexts and outcomes.
How are newborn hearing screening programs implemented across the European Union countries?
Gabriella Tognola;
2016
Abstract
Experts committees have recommended implementing newborn hearing screening programs in order to early diagnose and enrol hearing-impaired toddlers in intervention programs. In practice, these programs may be differently implemented and hearing screening tests may be differently performed. Our objective is to establish an overview of the newborn hearing screening programs in the 28 countries of the European Union on 5 specific topics: policy-decision, financing, general designs, organisational features, and outcomes availability. Methods: National or regional program coordinators completed an online self-administered questionnaire focusing on protocol description, program organisation and outcomes. Results: Thirty-nine respondents participated in the study; 24 were represented, reporting from a national (n=15 respondents) or regional (n=24 respondents) level. Among all represented countries and regions, a newborn hearing program is or will be shortly implemented. Levels of policy decision-making and organisational decisions were diverse: national, regional, or combined. Hearing test financing frequently involved public sources, including government and public health funds. Designs of the programs are diverse: number of steps before diagnosis referral highly varied, such as single or dual target group protocols. Nonetheless, three common organisational elements were observed in the screening process: hearing screening tests are often performed by nursing staff, in hospitals, and early in life. These common elements are not encountered when a screening protocol is specifically implemented for newborns with risk factor(s) for hearing impairment or admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Outcomes about hearing screening process were widely available in the programs; on the contrary, outcomes about intervention in hearing-impaired children were less frequently available in the programs. Conclusion: Despite the same goal of early identification of hearing-impaired children, there is a high level of diversity in programs. Further investigations will analyse these differences in relation to the programs' contexts and outcomes.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
