Universal newborn hearing screening programs in Italy: survey of year 2006.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest a rapid diffusion of newborn hearing screening programs in Italy and indicate that three conditions seem to play a crucial role in the implementation of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) programs: the size (>800 births/year) and location (metropolitan urban areas) of the hospital, and the presence of an audiologist in the UNHS coordinating team.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this paper is to provide data on the degree of implementation and coverage of UNHS programs in Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected through a Screening Survey Questionnaire that was sent to all birthing hospitals active in Italy in 2006 and was filled in by the chief of the hospital or by the UNHS program coordinator.

RESULTS

In Italy UNHS coverage had undergone a steep increase from 29.3% in 2003 (156,048 newborns screened) to 48.4% in 2006 (262,103 screened). The majority of UNHS programs were implemented in the two most economically developed areas, i.e. in the north-west area (79.5%, 108,200 of 136,109 births), and in the north-east area (57.2%, 52,727 of 92,133 births), while a limited diffusion still remains in some areas, typically in the islands (11.3%, 7158 of 63,460 births).