The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5158.0: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 2:45 PM

Abstract #47763

Efficacy of OAE/ABR protocol in identifying hearing loss

Jean J. Johnson, DrPH1, Karl R. White, PhD2, Yusnita Weirather, MA3, Judith E. Widen, PhD4, June Holstrum, Phd5, Judith Gravel, PhD6, Michele James-Trychel, MEd7, Teresa Kennalley, MA8, Antonia B. Maxon, PhD9, Lynn Spivak, PhD10, Maureen Sullivan-Mahoney, MA11, Betty Vohr, MD12, and Brandt Culpepper, PhD5. (1) Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai`i, 1776 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96822, 808/9562653, jeanj@hawaii.edu, (2) Utah State University, National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management, 2880 Old Main Hall, Logan, UT 84322, (3) Department of Health, Newborn Hearing Screening Program, 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1401, Honolulu, HI 96814, (4) University of Kansas Medical School, Dept. of Hearing and Speech, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66160, (5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, (6) Clinical Research Center for Communication Disorders, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Room 843, Bronx, NY 10461, (7) Infant Hearing Program, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children, 92 West Miller Street, Orlando, FL 32806, (8) Audiology Program, Via Christi Regional Medical Center, 929 North Saint Francis, Wichita, KS 67214, (9) New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation, 354 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247, (10) Hearing & Speech Center, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, 270-05 - 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, (11) Audiology Division of Rehabilitation Medicine Services, Good Samaritan Hospital, 375 Dixmyth Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220, (12) Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905-2499

A multi-center study is currently underway to assess the efficacy of the two-stage newborn hearing screening protocol to determine the prevalence of infants who fail OAE, but pass ABR hearing screening, and who are subsequently diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss. As more hospitals implement universal newborn hearing screening programs, concerns are increasing about the accuracy of the screening protocols being used and whether some babies with significant hearing loss are being missed. The National Insitutes of Health recommended the two-stage screening protocol of OAE followed by ABR. This procedure has been adopted by many hospitals because it appears to identify newborns with hearing loss with a minimal false-positive rate. Yet concerns remain that some infants with a hearing loss fail the OAE, but pass the ABR, and are, thus, not identified during the neonatal period. The current study is creating a diverse sample of 1,500 infants who fail OAE but pass ABR prior to discharge. The study also will compare the estimated prevalence to that of infants confirmed to have permanent hearing loss (and born during the same study period), but who failed both OAE and automated ABR measures before hospital discharge. The sample is being drawn from twelve major birthing centers and will be similar in racial and ethnic characteristics to the nation. Diagnostic audiological evaluations are being completed on those infants between 7-9 months of age, using visual-reinforcement audiometry. The findings of this study will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Deafness and Communication Disabilities

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA