Title
Examination of long-lasting parental concern after false-positive results of neonatal hearing screening
Author
van der Ploeg, C.P.B.
Lanting, C.I.
de Kauffman-Boer, M.A.
Uilenburg, N.N.
de Ridder-Sluiter, J.G.
Verkerk, P.H.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
KvL
Publication year
2008
Abstract
Objective: To investigate whether false-positive outcomes on neonatal hearing screening cause long-lasting parental concerns. Methods: A general population of parents whose children had participated in the universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) programme were examined. Parents filled out a questionnaire 6 months after UNHS. Outcomes were compared for all parents whose child tested positive or inconclusive in at least one of three tests but afterwards proved not to have hearing impairment (cases, n = 154| and a random sample of parents whose child passed the first test (controls, n = 288). Parental anxiety as measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), attitude towards the child (child health rating and experienced problems) and sensitivity to hearing problems were measured. Results: Median STAI score was equal for cases and controls. Parental attitudes toward the child also did not differ. The difference in the proportion of parents who worried about their child's hearing was statistically significant between cases and controls (p = 0.001) and varied with the number of screens; 4% of controls were worried about the child's hearing, as compared to 10% of cases whose children were tested twice, and 15% of cases whose children were tested three times. Conclusions: False-positive UNHS test results do not cause long-term general parental anxiety. However, 6 months after screening, a considerable proportion of parents continued to experience hearing-specific worries regarding their child.
Subject
Health
Anxiety
Child health
Controlled study
Hearing impairment
utcome assessment
Parental attitude
Parental behavior
Priority journal
Questionnaire
Screening test
State Trait Anxiety Inventory
Universal neonatal hearing screening
Laboratory diagnosis
Methodology
Newborn
Newborn screening
Psychological aspect
False Positive Reactions
Hearing Disorders
Hearing Tests
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Neonatal Screening
Parent-Child Relations
Parents
Questionnaires O
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8dde26b2-2303-4e04-9ed0-a14b51c9cea7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2007.129320
TNO identifier
240848
ISSN
0003-9888
Source
Archives of Disease in Childhood, 93 (6), 508-511
Document type
article