Yousuf Hussein Shouneez, Swanepoel De Wet, Biagio de Jager Leigh, Mahomed-Asmail Faheema
Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2018 Mar;106:16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2017.12.026. Epub 2017 Dec 28.
Within the educational sector of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), formal and informal early childhood development (ECD) centers are often the first point of contact for majority of children. Since early hearing detection services are mostly absent in LMICs, these ECD centers may serve as the first point of access to screenings for these children. ECD practitioner awareness regarding hearing and hearing loss is essential for the successful implementation of hearing screening programs. This study thus investigated the current knowledge and attitudes of ECD practitioners towards childhood hearing loss in a community representative of typical LMIC contexts.
Purposive sampling was used to identify ECD centers and participants across a community. Thereafter, a cross-sectional quantitative survey (23 items) was adminstered amongst 82 ECD practitioners.
More than 80% of ECD practitioners correctly identified genetics and ear infections as etiological factors of hearing loss. Gaps in knowledge regarding identification techniques for children 3-6 years of age and the impact of hearing loss in the classroom were evident. ECD personnel's duration of experience had a significant effect on overall knowledge and attitude (p < .05; F (1,53) = 8.68). ECD personnel displayed a positive attitude towards children receiving a hearing test (88.3%) and almost all participants indicated the need for more information regarding hearing loss (93.5%).
This study demonstrated a general readiness amongst ECD practitioners for the implementation of ECD hearing screening programs in LMICs, however additional information and guidelines are needed to improve practitioner knowledge and attitudes.
在低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）的教育领域，正规和非正规的幼儿发展（ECD）中心通常是大多数儿童的首个接触点。由于低收入和中等收入国家大多缺乏早期听力检测服务，这些幼儿发展中心可能成为这些儿童进行听力筛查的首个接入点。幼儿发展从业者对听力和听力损失的认识对于听力筛查项目的成功实施至关重要。因此，本研究调查了在一个代表典型低收入和中等收入国家背景的社区中，幼儿发展从业者对儿童听力损失的当前知识和态度。
采用目的抽样法在一个社区中确定幼儿发展中心和参与者。此后，对82名幼儿发展从业者进行了一项横断面定量调查（23个项目）。
超过80%的幼儿发展从业者正确地将遗传和耳部感染识别为听力损失的病因。在3至6岁儿童的识别技术以及听力损失在课堂上的影响方面，知识存在明显差距。幼儿发展人员的工作经验时长对总体知识和态度有显著影响（p <.05；F(1,53) = 8.68）。幼儿发展人员对儿童接受听力测试持积极态度（88.3%），几乎所有参与者都表示需要更多关于听力损失的信息（93.5%）。
本研究表明，幼儿发展从业者普遍愿意在低收入和中等收入国家实施幼儿发展听力筛查项目，然而需要更多信息和指导方针来提高从业者的知识和态度。
