Implementation of Newborn Hearing Screening in Albania.

Newborn hearing screening (NHS) was implemented in Albania in four maternity hospitals in 2018 and 2019. Implementation outcome, screening outcome, and screening quality measures were evaluated. Infants were first screened by midwives and nurses before discharge from the maternity hospital and returned for follow-up screening.

Modelling the cost-effectiveness of a newborn hearing screening programme; usability and pitfalls.

Objective: The EUSCREEN project concerns the study of European vision and hearing screening programmes. Part of the project was the development of a cost-effectiveness model to analyse such programmes. We describe the development and usability of an online tool to enable stakeholders to design, analyse or modify a newborn hearing screening (NHS) programme.

Protocol and programme factors associated with referral and loss to follow-up from newborn hearing screening: a systematic review.

Background: An effective newborn hearing screening programme has low referral rate and low loss to follow-up (LTFU) rate after referral from initial screening. This systematic review identified studies evaluating the effect of protocol and programme factors on these two outcomes, including the screening method used and the infant group.

Methods: Five databases were searched (latest: April 2021).

Assessment of hearing screening programmes across 47 countries or regions III: provision of childhood hearing screening after the newborn period.

Objective: To inventory provision and features of childhood hearing screening after the newborn period (CHS), primarily in Europe.

Design: From each participating country or region, experts provided information through an extensive questionnaire: implementation year, age at screening, test method, pass criteria, screening location, screener profession, and quality indicators: coverage, referral, follow-up and detection rates, supplemented by literature sources.

Study Sample: Forty-two European countries or regions, plus Russia, Malawi, Rwanda, India, and China.

Assessment of hearing screening programmes across 47 countries or regions I: provision of newborn hearing screening.

Objectives: Newborn hearing screening (NHS) varies regarding number and type of tests, location, age, professionals and funding. We compared the provision of existing screening programmes.

Design: A questionnaire containing nine domains: demography, administration, existing screening, coverage, tests, diagnosis, treatment, cost and adverse effects, was presented to hearing screening experts.

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 and detection rates were aggregated. Referral rates were compared to age at screening step 1, number of steps, and test method: OAE or aABR.

Cost-Effectiveness of Neonatal Hearing Screening Programs: A Micro-Simulation Modeling Analysis.

Objectives: Early detection of neonatal hearing impairment moderates the negative effects on speech and language development. Universal neonatal hearing screening protocols vary in tests used, timing of testing and the number of stages of screening. This study estimated the cost-effectiveness of various protocols in the preparation of implementation of neonatal hearing screening in Albania.

Prevalence of permanent neonatal hearing impairment: systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.

To investigate the variance in reported prevalence rates of permanent neonatal hearing impairment (HI) worldwide. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed on reported prevalence rates of sensorineural and permanent conductive or mixed HI worse than 40 dB in neonates, detected as a result of a screening programme or audiometric study. For meta-analysis, 35 articles were selected, 25 from high-income countries and 10 from middle-income countries according to the world bank classification system.