Diagnóstico audiológico e sua efetividade em João Pessoa

Abstract

Introduction: The Joint Commitee of infant hearing (JCIH) has established principles that provide the pillars for early hearing loss detection programs to be effective. They are neonatal hearing screening (NHS) before hospital discharge, referrals for diagnosis and auditory monitoring and access to hearing devices. One of the major barriers for auditory diagnosis to be carried out as soon as possible is the lack of understanding by parents of the importance of NHS and subsequent necessary procedures, as well as the lack of follow-up and follow-up of all professionals involved in all stages. The evaluation of health services and programs are part of routines that allow for a more adequate identification of disabilities, allowing opportunities for improvements in the hearing of assisted individuals. Among the recommended measures, the assessment of parental satisfaction with the services that perform NHS is essential to verify the performance and quality of services and has been a widely accepted instrument for this analysis. Objective: (1) To describe the results on issues related to parents' satisfaction with newborn hearing screening (NHS) in public maternity hospitals in a Brazilian capital. (2) describe the diagnostic process of two reference centers, considering population, age at diagnosis, time of receiving devices and beginning of rehabilitation. Results: (1) The parents interviewed at the maternity hospitals are satisfied with the neonatal hearing screening, but there is a need for better communication about the results and the evaluation process. Half of the parents would not take their child to the maternity hospital for hearing monitoring, if necessary. (2) In reference centers, the average age of diagnosis is between 06 and 13 years old, children who live in the capital had a shorter waiting time for receiving hearing aids, and the prevalence of hearing loss is severe to profound neurosensory. Conclusion: Hearing health care programs in the capital do not achieve the objectives proposed by the JCIH, which is early identification and intervention.