Quality indicators in a newborn hearing screening service

INTRODUCTION: Newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs are implemented across the globe to detect early hearing impairment. In order to meet this objective, the quality of these programs should be monitored using internationally recognized indicators. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a newborn hearing screening service (NHSS) using international quality indicators. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study on the NHSS of Minas Gerais was conducted, analyzing the services performed between 2010 and 2011. Results were analyzed according to criteria from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing. RESULTS: This study assessed 6987 children. The proportions of cases that were referred for a retest, that followed through with retest, and that were referred for diagnosis were 8.0%, 71.9%, and 2.1%, respectively. The proportion of assessed newborn children in the first 30 days of life in this study was 65%. The median age of those children who failed both the NHS and the retest was significantly higher than the other children. The chance of a child with a hearing impairment risk indicator to fail the NHS was 2.4 times higher than of those without a risk indicator. CONCLUSION: NHSS achieved three of four evaluated indicators. Despite this, it is still necessary to perform NHS earlier and to ensure that the subsequent steps are followed.