Wang Zhili, Gao Yunge, Huang Yuzhang, Nie Wenying, Li Yun, Sheng Haibin, Chen Jie, Guo Yuzhu, Han Kun, Huang Zhiwu, Jiang Fan, Zhang Jun, Wu Hao, Chen Ying
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China.
China CDC Wkly. 2025 Feb 28;7(9):312-317. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2025.050.
Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) is recognized as the most effective strategy for early detection of congenital hearing loss; however, screening coverage remains inadequate in many countries. In China, newborn hearing screening has been implemented for over two decades. To evaluate our policies and practices during this period and assess resource equity, health impacts, and future challenges, we conducted a nationwide survey focusing on newborn hearing screening coverage, the number of special schools for deaf-mutes, and the proportion of hearing-impaired students in mainstream education. From 2001 to 2020, China's UNHS program coverage increased from 10.9% to 94.3%, while the proportion of hearing-impaired students in mainstream education rose from 24.8% to 57.5%. Concurrently, the number of hearing-impaired students in special schools decreased from 76,554 to 34,945, and the number of special schools for deaf-mutes declined from 639 to 389. Through the implementation of the UNHS program, China has made substantial progress in improving newborn hearing health, yielding long-term benefits for those with congenital hearing loss. However, targeted resource allocation and the establishment of a national platform remain priorities for future development. Our experience may provide valuable insights for similar settings.
新生儿听力普遍筛查（UNHS）被认为是早期发现先天性听力损失的最有效策略；然而，在许多国家，筛查覆盖率仍然不足。在中国，新生儿听力筛查已实施二十多年。为了评估这一时期我们的政策和实践，并评估资源公平性、健康影响和未来挑战，我们开展了一项全国性调查，重点关注新生儿听力筛查覆盖率、聋哑特殊学校数量以及主流教育中听力障碍学生的比例。2001年至2020年期间，中国的新生儿听力普遍筛查项目覆盖率从10.9%提高到94.3%，而主流教育中听力障碍学生的比例从24.8%上升到57.5%。与此同时，特殊学校中听力障碍学生的数量从76554人减少到34945人，聋哑特殊学校的数量从639所减少到389所。通过实施新生儿听力普遍筛查项目，中国在改善新生儿听力健康方面取得了重大进展，为先天性听力损失者带来了长期益处。然而，有针对性的资源分配和建立国家平台仍然是未来发展的优先事项。我们的经验可能为类似情况提供宝贵的见解。
