Prevalence and characteristics of hearing and vision loss in preschool children from low income South African communities: results of a screening program of 10,390 children.

Background: The majority of children with sensory impairments live in low- and middle-income countries. More studies of hearing and vision impairment prevalence are needed, in order to generate more accurate estimates of trends in sensory impairments. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and describe the characteristics of hearing and vision loss among preschool children (4-7 years) in an underserved South African community following community-based mobile health (mHealth) supported hearing and vision services.

Referral Criteria for Preschool Hearing Screening in Resource-Constrained Settings: A Comparison of Protocols.

Purpose This study aimed to describe and compare the performance of two screening protocols used for preschool hearing screening in resource-constrained settings. Method Secondary data analysis was done to determine the performance of two protocols implemented during a preschool hearing screening program using mobile health technology in South Africa. Pure-tone audiometry screening at 25 dB HL for 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz in each ear was used by both protocols.

Hearing and vision screening for preschool children using mobile technology, South Africa.

Objective: To implement and evaluate a community-based hearing and vision screening programme for preschool children in the Western Cape, South Africa, supported by mobile health technology (mHealth) and delivered by community health workers (CHWs).

Methods: We trained four CHWs to provide dual sensory screening in preschool centres of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain during September 2017-December 2018. CHWs screened children aged 4-7 years using mHealth software applications on smartphones.