Journal article

NICU-only versus universal screening for newborn hearing loss: Population audit

MJ Barker, EK Hughes, M Wake

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | Published : 2013

Abstract

Aim:: Targeted newborn hearing screening for infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) may be considered when resources preclude universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS). However, process outcomes have not been compared between stand-alone NICU hearing screening programs and NICU screening within a full UNHS program. Methods: Comparison of two consecutive hearing screening programs delivered under similar conditions in the four NICUs in Victoria, Australia. All NICU infants were eligible for pre-discharge automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) hearing screening. Capture, referral and diagnostic data were collected for all NICU infants during the NICU-only (April 2003-February ..

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Grants

Awarded by NHMRC Population Health Career Development


Funding Acknowledgements

We thank all the parents who participated in the survey. We would also like to thank all the M&CH nurses, audiologists and hospital staff for their participation in both programs. The authors also acknowledge the support of the Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital. MW was supported by NHMRC Population Health Career Development Awards #284556 and #546405, and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute is supported by the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program.