Objective To inventory provision and features of childhood hearing screening after
the newborn period (CHS), primarily in Europe. Design From each participating country
or region, experts provided information through an extensive questionnaire: implementation
year, age at screening, test method, pass criteria, screening location, screener profession,
and quality indicators: coverage, referral, follow-up and detection rates, supplemented
by literature sources. Study sample Forty-two European countries or regions, plus
Russia, Malawi, Rwanda, India, and China. Results CHS was performed universally with
pure-tone audiometry screening (PTS) in 17 countries or regions, whereas non-universal
CHS was performed in eight with PTS or whisper tests. All participating countries
with universal PTS had newborn hearing screening. Coverage rate was provided from
three countries, detection rate from one, and referral and follow-up rate from two.
In four countries, universal PTS was performed at two ages. Earliest universal PTS
was performed in a (pre)school setting by nurses (n = 9, median age: 5 years, range:
3-7), in a healthcare setting by doctors and nurses (n = 7, median age: 4.5 years,
range: 4-7), or in both (n = 1). Conclusions Within universal CHS, PTS was mostly
performed at 4-6 years by nurses. Insufficient collection of data and monitoring with
quality indicators impedes evaluation of screening.
