Prevalence and Reasons for Non-Follow-Up of Newborns with “Refer” Results on Initial Hearing Screening

Objective: To determine the prevalence rate of follow-up among infants who had a “refer” result on initial newborn hearing screening and to identify reasons for default by parents or guardians.   Method: Study Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: Tertiary public university hospital Participants: 79 parents or guardians whose newborns obtained a “refer” result on initial hearing screening were interviewed over the phone.   Results: Among those babies who had a “refer” result on initial hearing screening, 51% followed up for repeat testing. The most common reasons for non-follow up by parents or guardians include being busy, distance from the hospital and baby’s health condition.   Conclusions: The follow-up rate in this study is higher compared to previous figures (27%), but is still below target. The reasons for non-follow-up obtained suggest problems may exist on all levels of the healthcare system. Appropriate solutions to address these problems should be explored.   Keywords: neonatal screening, hearing loss, infant, newborn, hearing tests, otoacoustic emissions