Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) at Amparo Maternal Hospital: Characterization of Results and Analysis of Quality Factors

• Grant number: 25/20831-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Spada Durante
• Grantee: Laura Cristina Costa
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/14323-0 - Mapping the developmental trajectory of Speech-Evoked Envelope Following Responses in typically developing normal hearing children, AP.R

Abstract

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS), also known as the "little ear test," is an essential strategy for the early detection of auditory impairments in newborns, enabling timely interventions and minimizing impacts on cognitive, communicative, and linguistic development. In Brazil, the implementation of UNHS was consolidated by Law No. 12,303/2010, which mandates its execution in all maternity hospitals, with quality indicators ensuring the program's effectiveness. Despite scientific and technological advances, factors related to process quality still pose challenges to its full implementation. This study aims to characterize the implementation and outcomes of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program (UNHS) at Hospital Amparo Maternal, as well as to analyze the quality factors influencing service delivery. This is a retrospective quantitative study using secondary data from medical records of newborns screened at Hospital Amparo Maternal between 2024 and 2026. Only complete medical records will be included, containing information on birth, hearing screening performance, results, final diagnosis, and initiation of audiological intervention. Data will be collected from the hospital's online platforms and tabulated in Excel spreadsheets. The study expects to provide updated information on the effectiveness of UNHS at Hospital Amparo Maternal, with emphasis on adherence to quality indicators, identifying opportunities for program improvement and supporting actions to strengthen neonatal hearing health.