Newborn hearing screening: quality and effectiveness of a program

• Grant number: 15/12873-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Ribeiro Tavares
• Grantee: Laís Rosin da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hearing is a prerequisite for the acquisition and development of language. Among the diseases capable of screening at birth, hearing impairment has a high prevalence of deafness 30: 10,000 births. The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) was established as ideal form, and is recommended by all professionals. There are strong reasons for holding the NHS, namely serious impact of hearing loss on cognitive development, language acquisition and social integration. The diagnosis of hearing loss is usually late, around three years old, in populations without early detection program. However, early detection program need to be efficient and that there landmarks and quality indicators that must be considered. Projects that can evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a UNHS program can generate results that provide tools to guide managers and coordinators to eliminate or minimize variables that can increase the effectiveness of even more cost-effective.