Evaluation of the current situation and quality of neonatal hearing screening from hearing screening practitioners’ perspective: a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Table 1. The basic characteristics of respondents.

Basic characteristics	N (total = 63)	%
Gender
Female	61	96.83
Male	2	3.17
Education background
Undergraduate	42	66.67
Doctor/master	0	0
Others	21	33.33
Profession
Nurse	40	63.49
Obstetrician–gynecologist	8	12.70
Pediatrician	7	11.11
Audiologist	2	3.17
Others	6	9.52
Working years
≤5 years	47	74.60
5–10 years	11	17.46
>10 years	5	7.94
Job title
Junior	39	61.90
Intermediate	20	31.75
Senior	4	6.35

Figure 1. Total number of NHS institutions and NHS practitioners in each district and county of Luzhou area.

Figure 2. Trends in the number of NHS institutions.

Table 2a. Questions in the questionnaire related to knowledge and attitudes/belief.

Question	N	%
Total number of respondents	63	100
8. Have you been trained in technical skills related to NHS?
Provincial level training and certificate	25	39.68
Municipal level training and certificate	16	25.40
No	22	34.92
9. Systematic study of NHS theory (classroom or self-study)?
Yes	44	69.84
Little	18	28.57
No	1	1.59
10. Regular learning about the latest developments of NHS?
Yes	39	61.90
No	24	38.10
14. Starting point for health education in NHS (multiple choice)
Purpose and significance of hearing screening	63	100
Current situation of hearing loss in infants and children	50	79.37
Process of hearing screening (initial and re-screening)	55	87.30
Methods of initial screening and related matters	53	84.13
Methods of re-screening and related matters	49	77.78
Significance of screening results	56	88.89
Diagnosis of hearing loss	37	58.73
Intervention and prognosis of hearing loss	40	63.49
Methods of observing normal hearing in infants	51	80.95
16. Proficiency in screening equipment parameters?
Well	38	60.32
Partially	11	17.46
Little	14	22.22
20. Hearing screening care knowledge (multiple choice)
Newborns in a quiet state; sedation if necessary	28	44.44
Check cleanliness of newborn’s external ear canal	62	98.41
Well-ventilated NHS rooms; ambient noise controlled (<45 dB)	59	93.65
Check probe for blockage before and after operation	61	96.83
Repeat the test 2–3 times if not passed	58	92.06
24. Attitude toward relationship between standardized NHS and accuracy/pass rates?
Positive	60	95.24
Negative	1	1.59
Neutral	2	3.17
25. Need for further standardization of NHS at your institution?
Yes	37	58.73
No	25	39.68
Not sure	1	1.59

Table 2b. Questions in the questionnaire related to practice.

Question	N	%
Total number of institutions surveyed	42	100
11. Dedicated NHS room at your institution?
Yes	38	90.48
No	4	9.52
12. Parents signed the informed consent form of NHS?
Yes	41	97.62
No	1	2.38
13. Health education for NHS (multiple choice)
Purpose and significance of NHS	41	97.62
Current status of hearing loss in infants	23	54.76
Process of hearing screening	39	92.86
Methods of initial screening and related matters	38	90.48
Conducting rescreening and related matters	31	73.81
Significance of screening results	36	85.71
Diagnosis of hearing loss	15	35.71
Intervention of hearing loss	20	47.62
Prognosis of hearing loss	17	40.48
Methods of observing normal hearing in infants	28	66.67
15. Institution’s primary screening/re-screening method
OAE	42/38	100/90.48
AABR	0/2	0/4.76
OAE + AABR	0/2	0/4.76
17. Primary screening time at your institution
1–2 days	9	21.43
3–5 days	31	73.81
Others	2	4.76
18. Rescreening time at your institution
<30 days	10	23.81
30–42 days	27	64.29
>42 days	5	11.90
19. NHS care at your institution (multiple choice)
Newborns in a quiet state; sedation if necessary	19	45.24
Check cleanliness of newborn’s external ear canal	41	97.62
Well-ventilated NHS rooms; ambient noise controlled (<45 dB)	42	100
Check probe for blockage before and after operation	41	97.62
21. Hearing screening target groups (multiple choice)
Newborns in general wards	41	97.62
Newborns in general outpatient clinics	28	66.67
Newborns in NICU	15	35.71
Newborns with risk factors for hearing loss	21	50.00
Repeat the test 2–3 times if not passed	38	90.48
22. Archiving method for NHS results
Paper	12	28.57
Electronic	2	4.76
Both	28	66.67
23. Follow up infants who fail rescreening but pass hearing diagnosis at least once a year until 3 years of age
Yes	5	11.90
No	37	88.10

In the case of multiple respondents from the same institution filling out the questionnaire, for the same question, we selected the option most frequently chosen by that institution for repeated answers.

Table 3. Spearman’s correlation analysis.

Correlation analysis	r	p
K score and working years^a	0.017	.892
P score and working years	−0.031	.808
K score and P score	0.742	.000
A/B score and conducting years^b	0.217	.044
Working years and conducting years	0.306	.007
A/B score and working years	0.110	.195

^a The working years of practitioners.

^b The conducting years of each NHS institution.

Figure 3. Total score of NHS institutions at different levels.

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.