title: Neonatal hearing screening in a rural/sub-urban community in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa-a preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: akeemlasisi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Akeem O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Lasisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Onakoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Taye J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lasisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Moronke D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Akinola
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olukemi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tongo
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009549:Nigeria; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D013383:Suburban Population
keywords: Automated auditory brainstem response; Neonatal hearing screening; Pass; Referral