2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER
A Qualitative Analysis of Parent Perceptions on a Patient Navigation Program for Newborn Hearing Diagnostic Testing
Infant hearing loss is the most prevalent neonatal sensory disorder in the United States. Without early identification and intervention, infants with hearing loss often face difficulties including speech and language impairments as well as poor educational and socioeconomic outcomes. Though the EHDI guidelines recommend diagnostic testing by 3 months of age, many referred infants are lost to follow-up. Loss to follow-up can be explained by the challenges caregivers face when navigating the infant diagnostic testing process, including limited access to hearing healthcare providers, lack of knowledge about diagnostic testing importance, and challenges with transportation and child care for their other children. To alleviate barriers to follow-up diagnostic testing, we are testing the effects of a patient navigation program designed to support caregivers referred for diagnostic testing for their infants’ hearing at state-funded pediatric clinics in Kentucky. As the trial progresses, we use qualitative methods to assess caregiver experiences with the patient navigation program and with follow-up diagnostic testing. We conducted key informant interviews with 20 parents who received patient navigation as part of our larger mixed-methods stepped-wedge trial between June 2021-June 2022. Semi-structured interview guides included questions for caregivers about patient navigation experiences, preferences, and challenges. Caregivers were also asked about their experiences with follow-up diagnostic testing for their newborn. Rapid qualitative analysis of interview data revealed key themes (both positive and negative) about patient navigation experiences, including informational support, emotional support, and program logistics (e.g., mode, frequency, and initiation of contact). Additionally, we identified key themes about factors contributing to positive or negative experiences with follow-up diagnostic testing at multiple levels: the infant, the staff and clinicians, the procedure, the clinic, the referring hospital, and the broader policy level. We will present these findings along with preliminary data on the effects of patient navigation on follow-through with diagnostic testing.
- Describe the qualitative data collection and analysis used in this study.
- Summarize parents’ experiences utilizing patient navigation as part of the diagnostic follow-up process for infant hearing testing
- Summarize parents’ experiences the follow-up diagnostic appointment for their infant’s hearing
Poster:
3420032_15526AnthonyMahairas.pdf
Presenter: Marissa Schuh
Marissa Schuh is the Research Protocol Manager for the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Kentucky. She completed her Masters in Public Health and currently is a PhD candidate in Clinical Translational Science at the University of Kentucky. Marissa’s research interests include the social determinants of health and health disparities in rural populations. She currently oversees NIH-funded grants and other research initiatives within the Department.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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No relevant financial relationship exist.
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No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Dr. Studts is an associate professor of pediatrics and implementation scientist in the Adult & Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research & Delivery Science (ACCORDS) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her research focuses on increasing access to evidence-based parenting interventions among understudied and underserved populations, including parents of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and who use hearing aids or cochlear implants. In addition to leading her own program of community-engaged research, Dr. Studts serves as an implementation scientist on teams studying the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based practices in a variety of topical areas, and she directs and teaches in the Dissemination and Implementation Graduate Certificate Program at the University of Colorado.
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Anthony Mahairas is a research assistant for the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Kentucky. He completed his Masters of Molecular Medicine at Liberty University. Anthony’s has research interests surrounding increasing access to quality healthcare among underserved communities. He currently works on several NIH-funded grants and other ongoing research projects in the department.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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• Receives Salary for Employment from University of Kentucky.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Margaux Danby is a medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds a Master of Science in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University.
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Emily Ranseen is a third year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She graduated from Centre College with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2019. Having grown up in Kentucky, Emily is interested in research about the health disparities of the state, particularly those affecting the pediatric population.
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Brady Ekman is a 4th year medical student at the University of Kentucky.
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Dr. Matthew L. Bush received his medical degree from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, W.Va. He then completed an Otolaryngology research fellowship and a Neurotology and Cranial Base Surgery fellowship at The Ohio State University Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute in Columbus. Bush is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology both in Otolaryngology and in Neurotology and Cranial Base Surgery. Bush is actively engaged in clinical research with a special focus on hearing healthcare disparities. He has published multiple peer-reviewed papers on the topic and is supported by the National Institutes of Health. His research and clinical efforts are focused on providing timely access to care for children and adults.
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