2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/11/2025 | 9:40 AM - 10:10 AM | Going Beyond State-Wide Data: Understanding Variability Within Your State | 317/318
Going Beyond State-Wide Data: Understanding Variability Within Your State
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is one of the first states to introduce a healthcare system which can be considered almost universal, however systemic, institutional policy and practices, resources and other barriers continue to undermine timely access to health services. Within the EHDI system, we continue to observe variations in screening, diagnosis, and early interventions. Previous studies in southeast Massachusetts showed disparities in access and impact on time to diagnosis, even when participants were covered by either private or public insurance. Data will be examined to assess and identify socioeconomic (ex. WIC participation, demographic, geographic) related disparities among Massachusetts residents throughout the EHDI process, including differences in meeting the screening, diagnosis and early intervention goals of EHDI as well as the timeliness of these goals. Disparities will be discussed, and program implications reviewed.
- The learner will be able to describe variables within their EHDI data to examine.
- The learner will be able to describe examples of data to action.
- The learner will be able to discuss potential data sets to utilize.
Presentation:
3545975_18262SarahStone.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Sarah Stone
(Primary Presenter), MA Dept. of Public Health, sarah.stone@state.ma.us;
Sarah Stone is the Director of the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She has a hearing loss and has been with the program for over 20 years. She has developed programming for families, including social and educational events. She is a member of the state's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Solomon Mezgebu
(Co-Presenter), MA Department of Public Health, solomon.w.mezgebu@mass.gov;
Solomon Mezgebu is the epidemiologist for the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. He has extensive experience with large data sets and survey design.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.