[Mass screening for detection of infants with hearing impairment. II. Screening items and risk factors of hearing impairment].

Validity of the items included in a questionnaire for mass screening for hearing impairment of infants and the risk factors for hearing impairment of 4-month-old infants were studied. Qualitative differences in the questionnaire items were found that would be related to decisions regarding need for thorough examination or followup of a case. The combined use of the risk factors and the questionnaire for 4-month-old infants may considerably reduce the number of false positive cases. A case whose number of negative items was three or less and who had at least one risk factor at 4 months of age was shown to have a high risk of auditory impairment. The cut-off point for the followup screening questionnaires at 7- and 10-month old infants was determined to be at three or less and four or more items.