Maternal knowledge and attitudes to universal newborn hearing screening: Reviewing an established program.

OBJECTIVES

To facilitate early diagnosis of infants with hearing loss, a universal newborn hearing screening program (UNHS) has been implemented in Hong Kong's public hospitals for over a decade. However, there have been no known studies investigating parent attitudes to, and satisfaction with, UNHS since its launch in Hong Kong. The present study aimed to investigate knowledge of UNHS as well as infant hearing development, and attitudes and satisfaction with UNHS, in Hong Kong mothers with newborns. The study was designed to help evaluate and improve an established UNHS public hospital program, based on the perspectives of service users.

METHODS

A researcher-developed questionnaire was administered to 102 mothers whose newborn had received UNHS in the postnatal wards of a large public hospital in Hong Kong. The questionnaire considered parental knowledge of UNHS and infant hearing development, attitudes and satisfaction toward public hospital UNHS. In the knowledge dimension, parents' preferred time and location for pre-test information delivery, interpretation of screening results, and knowledge of hearing developmental milestones were surveyed. In addition, maternal attitudes to and satisfaction with UNHS screening services, the potential impact of UNHS on parent emotions and parent-baby bonding, attitudes toward informed consent, and willingness to comply with diagnostic assessment referral were also be surveyed.

RESULTS

Mean participant scores on knowledge of infant hearing development were relatively low (M = 2.59/6.0, SD = 0.90). Many mothers also underestimated the potential ongoing risks of hearing impairment in babies. Around 80% of mothers thought an infant could not have hearing impairment after passing the screening. In addition, one-third of mothers thought a baby could not later develop hearing impairment in infancy or childhood. In terms of attitudes and satisfaction, participants gave somewhat negative ratings for questions regarding receiving sufficient information about the screening (M = 2.90/5.0, SD = 1.27), screening procedure (M = 2.20/5.0, SD = 1.08), and sufficiency of information about results (M = 2.87/5.0, SD = 1.14). Nonetheless, participants gave positive ratings concerning whether screening could lead to early diagnosis (M = 4.61/5.0, SD = 0.57) and over 95% of mothers supported UNHS despite potential for false positive results. Mothers reported a high willingness to bring their baby to follow-up assessments if required (M = 4.53/5.0, SD = 0.56). Participants gave positive ratings for their level of satisfaction with the time and location of first UNHS information provision (M = 4.34/5.0, SD = 0.80) and the way permission was asked for screening the baby (M = 4.04/5.0, SD = 0.97) but alternative procedures were also recommended. Most recommendations focused on providing more information about the test and a more detailed explanation of screening results.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey results highlighted the need to provide more information to parents about infant hearing development to support home monitoring for signs of hearing loss after UNHS, as well as more detailed explanation and information regarding hearing screening and the implications of results to parents. Regardless of location, surveys of this type may provide valuable support for UNHS program quality assurance.