Assessment of hearing screening programmes across 47 countries or regions II: coverage, referral, follow-up and detection rates from newborn hearing screening

Objectives To assess the performance of newborn hearing screening (NHS) programmes, through selected quality measures and their relationship to protocol design.Design NHS coverage, referral, follow-up detection rates were aggregated. Referral compared age at step 1, number steps, test method: OAE or aABR.Study sample A questionnaire on existing was completed by experts from countries in Europe, plus Russia, Malawi, Rwanda, India China.Results Out 47 regions, coverage reported 26, referral 23, follow up 12 13. Median rate for 1 96%. 6–22% where may be performed <24 h birth, 2–15% >24 h, 4% >72 h. diagnostic assessment averaged 2.1% after one two steps using only, 1.7% including aABR, 0.8% three four aABR. bilateral permanent impairment ?40dB per 1000 infants.Conclusion related age, method steps. Quality not available many programmes.