Original Research
National survey of paediatric audiological services for diagnosis and intervention in the South African private health care sector
Submitted: 26 February 2014 | Published: 11 November 2014
About the author(s)
Miriam E. Meyer, Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, University of Pretoria, South AfricaDe Wet Swanepoel, Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Australia; Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Australia
Talita le Roux, Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Abstract
Methods: All private hospitals with obstetric units (n = 166) were surveyed telephonically. The data was integrated with data collected from self-administered questionnaires subsequently distributed nationally to private audiology practices providing hearing screening at the respective hospitals reporting hearing screening services (n = 87). Data was analysed descriptively to yield national percentages and frequency distributions.
Results: Average reported age at diagnosis was 11 months. Most participants (74%) indicated that less than 20% of infants fitted with hearing aids received amplification before the age of 6 months. Most (64%) participants indicated that the average period between confirmed diagnosis and hearing aid fitting was 1 month, on par with international benchmarks. Only 16%–23% of participants included all diagnostic procedures recommended by the Health Professions Council of South Africa’s 2007 position statement for minimum diagnostic test batteries for infants and young children.
Conclusions: Diagnosis of hearing loss, hearing aid fitting and audiological intervention is delayed significantly in the South African private health care sector. Improved services should include integrated systematic hospital-based screening as part of birthing packages with diagnostic referral to specialist paediatric audiologists for accurate assessment and management of patients in a timely manner.
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Crossref Citations
1. Communication and school readiness abilities of children with hearing impairment in South Africa: A retrospective review of early intervention preschool records
Ntsako P. Maluleke, Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Amisha Kanji
South African Journal of Communication Disorders vol: 66 issue: 1 year: 2019
doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v66i1.604