Original Research

Outcomes of newborn hearing screening at an academic secondary level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa

Jacqueline K. Bezuidenhout, Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Tim De Maayer, Renate Strehlau
South African Journal of Communication Disorders | Vol 68, No 1 | a741 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v68i1.741 | © 2021 Jacqueline K. Bezuidenhout, Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Tim De Maayer, Renate Strehlau | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 April 2020 | Published: 27 January 2021

About the author(s)

Jacqueline K. Bezuidenhout, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tim De Maayer, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Renate Strehlau, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Background: The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) issued early hearing detection and intervention guidelines, which has universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) as one of the important goals. Despite established evidence of the importance of UNHS globally, there has been no mandated formalised and standardised implementation as yet in South Africa.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of newborn hearing screening (NHS) in an academic secondary level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Methods: This was a prospective non-experimental feasibility study over a 3-month period, involving conducting hearing screening of 121 neonates. Audiologists conducted a risk factor assessment, otoscopic examinations and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) screening on each neonate, with follow-up appointments for re-screening and diagnostic audiological assessments for all neonates with refer findings. Data were analysed using STATA intercooled version 11©, through both descriptive and inferential statistics (Fisher’s exact test), with significance established where p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Of the 121 neonates screened, the majority (75%) were screened in the first 24 h of life. A high refer rate (47%) of the total sample was found on DPOAE screening. No maternal or neonatal risk factors were found to be significantly associated with refer findings.

Conclusion: Findings contribute towards the existing evidence base that raises implications for successful implementation of NHS programmes in public healthcare in South Africa. Screening protocols need to consider the timing of screening, the measures and procedures adopted in the screening protocols, as well as the follow-up strategies.


Keywords

otoacoustic emission; newborn hearing screening; refer rates; risk factors; public healthcare; outcomes.

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Crossref Citations

1. Magnitude and Factors Associated with Refer Results of Newborn Hearing Screening at Academic Tertiary Level Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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International Journal of Otolaryngology  vol: 2022  first page: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1155/2022/1977184