Maternal worry about neonatal hearing screening

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare the prevalence and degree of maternal worry about neonatal hearing screening at the time of an initial neonatal hearing screen and rescreen in 1997 and 1999. STUDY DESIGN: We report on a prospective cross-sectional investigation of maternal worry-about newborn hearing screening. Demographic data, maternal knowledge of hearing screening, and degree of maternal worry were collected on 307 mothers at the time of the neonatal screen and 40 mothers at the time of the rescreen. RESULTS: Degree of maternal worry was significantly greater at the rescreen compared to the screen. Mothers who reported greater worry at the time of the screen were more likely to be socioeconomically disadvantaged. Although maternal knowledge about hearing screening increased between the two time periods, degree of worry remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Efforts to minimize the neonatal false -positive hearing screen rates and to educate mothers about hearing screening are indicated to minimize unnecessary worry.