Neonatal hearing screening in a rural/sub-urban community in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa-a preliminary report

Akeem O Lasisi; Paul A Onakoya; Taye J Lasisi; Moronke D Akinola; Olukemi Tongo

doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2014.06.003

Neonatal hearing screening in a rural/sub-urban community in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa-a preliminary report

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2014 Sep;78(9):1452-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2014.06.003. Epub 2014 Jun 16.

Authors

Akeem O Lasisi¹, Paul A Onakoya², Taye J Lasisi³, Moronke D Akinola⁴, Olukemi Tongo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: akeemlasisi@gmail.com.
² Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
³ Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁴ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.
⁵ Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

PMID: 24984927
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2014.06.003

Abstract

Introduction: The implementation of Neonatal Hearing Screening (NHS) program is still at the preliminary stage particularly in developing countries despite the burden of permanent congenital and early-onset hearing impairment. There has been an earlier report of NHS in a city in Nigeria, however, this is a report of a preliminary NHS carried in a rural/sub-urban area in Nigeria.

Method: This prospective study, which took place between October 2009 and April 2010, involved all newborns delivered at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and the Bilal Missionary Maternity, Agodi, Ibadan, a small maternity service located in Agodi community serving predominantly low socioeconomic class people. All the neonates delivered during the study period were included in the screening. The screening was performed within 72 h of delivery using automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) and repeated after 6 weeks among those with referral result. Subsequently the neonates were referred to diagnostic audiology.

Result: Among the 453 newborns (231 males and 222 female), AABR screening showed referral, in 43.7% of neonates. At first screening, 224 (49.4%) were referred while 229 (50.6%) passed, however, during the post-natal period 40/229 (17.5%) reported for second screening, out of these 26 showed pass to the screening. This gave a total pass of 255/453 (56.3%). The presence of maternal pre-ecclampsia (P = 0.05) was found to be a significant morbidity factor associated with referral in the screening, while parental socioepidemiological variables; and the neonates' birthweight, gestational age and APGAR score were not.

Conclusion: The proportion of referral on hearing screening encountered was far higher than previously reported, however, continuation of infant screening in future should be comprehensive with viral and genetic analysis in order to address the issue of aetiologic diagnosis; in addition, the implementation should factor the high drop out from the first stage screening in order to substantiate the findings in our region.

Keywords: Automated auditory brainstem response; Neonatal hearing screening; Pass; Referral.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Africa South of the Sahara
Cross-Sectional Studies
Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / physiology*
Female
Hearing Loss / diagnosis*
Hearing Tests / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Neonatal Screening / methods*
Nigeria
Pilot Projects
Prospective Studies
Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data*
Rural Population
Suburban Population