2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
| The Impact of COVID19 on the Adherence to Infant’s Hearing Follow-up Recommendations in New York State
The Impact of COVID19 on the Adherence to Infant’s Hearing Follow-up Recommendations in New York State
Objective: The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) guidelines recommend that all infants who fail their most recent hearing screening receive follow-up by having a diagnostic evaluation. However, COVID-19 interrupted medical services for infants born after March 7, 2020 in NYS. This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on follow-up services.
Method: To identify changes in adherence to follow-up recommendations, we used EHDI data to compare the percentage of infants who did not receive follow-up who were born in 2020 versus 2019. The percentage of infants who did not receive follow-up was calculated by dividing the total number of infants who did not receive a diagnostic evaluation by the number of infants who did not pass their most recent screening multiplied by 100.
Results: A greater percentage of infants born in March, April and June of 2020 did not receive diagnostic evaluation (76%, 81% and 81% respectively) compared to infants born during those same months in 2019 (54%, 67% and 74% respectively). However, the difference between the 2019 and 2020 percent of infants who did not receive diagnostic evaluation decreased by July, such that the rates were similar.
Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis of hearing loss can cause cognitive, social and communication delays in infants who are Deaf or Hard to Hear (DHH). Understanding how COVID-19 impacted diagnostic services is vital to ensuring continuous care for infants who are DHH. In the event of future disease outbreaks, efforts need to include care coordination between birthing hospitals and audiology practices.
- To understand the importance of early identification of infants with hearing loss
- To understand how COVID-19 impacted diagnostic services
- To understand the importance of continuous care
Presentation:
3353554_14897ZahraAlaali.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Zahra Alaali
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Early Intervention, zahra.alaali@health.ny.gov;
Zahra S Alaali graduated with an MPH in Health Policy and Management from the University at Albany. She has worked for the NYS Department of Health for the last six years and currently works for the Bureau of Early Intervention as the EHDI Program Coordinator. Zahra's work focuses on public health surveillance related to maternal and child health as well as merging/ re-emerging infections. Currently, Zahra is doing her Ph.D. in public policy with a concentration in health policies focusing on redesigning healthcare systems for improved clinical outcomes, efficiency, and value.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Lauren Miller
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), New York State Department of Health, Lauren.miller@health.ny.gov;
Lauren S. Miller earned her M.A. and Ph.d. in Social Psychology from Syracuse University. She has worked for the NYS Department of Health for the last five years and currently works for the Bureau of Early Intervention as a Research Scientist.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -