Delayed Identification of Infants Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing - Minnesota, 2012–2016

Meyer et al discuss the delayed identification of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in Minnesota from 2012 to 2016. Few studies have examined factors associated with the timing of identification of hearing loss within a cohort of infants identified as DHH and what factors are associated...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2020, Vol.69 (11), p.303-306
Main Authors: Meyer, Abby C, Marsolek, Melinda, Brown, Nicole, Coverstone, Kirsten
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Babies
Birth weight
Deafness
Education
Ethnicity
Health insurance
Hearing
Hearing loss
Hmong people
Identification
Infants
Language
Medical screening
Metropolitan areas
Mothers
Newborn babies
Public health
Risk reduction
Socioeconomic factors
Variables
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Meyer et al discuss the delayed identification of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in Minnesota from 2012 to 2016. Few studies have examined factors associated with the timing of identification of hearing loss within a cohort of infants identified as DHH and what factors are associated with delayed identification. Minnesota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) personnel studied data from 729 infants with confirmed congenital hearing loss born in the state during the period. Overall, 222 (30.4%) infants identified as DHH had delayed identification. Multivariate regression showed that infants identified as DHH were significantly more likely to have delayed identification if they had low birthweight, public insurance, a residence outside the metropolitan area and a mother with a lower level of education. Despite achievements of EHDI programs, disparities exist in timely identification of hearing loss. Using this information to develop public health initiatives that target certain populations could improve timely identification, reduce the risk for language delay, and enhance outcomes in children who are DHH.
ISSN:0149-2195
1545-861X