ASSESSMENT OF AWARENESS OF THE NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING PROGRAM AND REHABILITATION PROCESS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS
1Özel Kulak Burun Boğaz Muayenehanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz, Gaziantep, Türkiye2Gaziantep Üniversitesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı, Gaziantep, Türkiye Background and Aim: The success of newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs is closely related to healthcare professionals’ knowledge and awareness. This study aimed to evaluate medical students’ knowledge and awareness regarding NHS and the rehabilitation process.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, medical students completed a structured 23-item questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, awareness of NHS, knowledge of hearing loss, early diagnosis and intervention, risk factors, attitudes, and educational experiences. Knowledge level was determined using total knowledge score and classified as low, moderate, or high.
Results: A total of 328 medical students with a mean age of 21.71 years were included. Overall, 93.3% considered newborn hearing screening necessary, while 60.4% stated that it should be performed before hospital discharge. Consanguineous marriage and maternal illnesses during pregnancy were identified as risk factors by 68.3% and 84.1% of participants, respectively. Only 49.1% recognized that early diagnosis and intervention could enable normal speech development. Overall, 48.5% had a high level of knowledge. Knowledge scores were significantly higher among students who had received education on newborn hearing screening (p=0.018), those with a family history of hearing loss (p=0.012), and those who knew someone who had undergone newborn hearing screening (p=0.001). Age was also positively correlated with the total knowledge score (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Although general awareness of NHS was high, deficiencies remained regarding early intervention, screening procedures, and certain clinical aspects. The associations of knowledge level with academic year, education, age, and personal experience highlight the importance of structured and continuous educational programs.
Keywords : Newborn hearing screening; Hearing loss; Medical students; Awareness