Demographic and audiological characteristics of a pediatric population in a hearing health care center in São Paulo

Abstract

Introduction: The creation of public policies regulating actions in primary care to promote hearing health care, prevention and identification of hearing loss, ensures rehabilitation, providing support and protection of persons with disabilities, in addition to health. Objective: To characterize demographic and audiological data of users of a hearing health care center, in São Paulo City. Method: This is a descriptive and retrospective observational study developed at the Hearing in Children Center (CeAC). There were analyzed 857 patients’ recordings of those who concluded the audiological assessment, from August 2010 to June 2015. The following data were extracted from the recordings: gender, date of birth, dwelling area, newborn hearing screening (NHS) tests performed, risk indicators for hearing loss in the children’s history, origin of the referral, age at the first visit, age at diagnosis, and results for hearing status. Results: 64.2% of the children live in the South region of São Paulo city; 2 months old was the mean age at the beginning of the diagnosis; 54,8% of the complaints were of hearing loss followed by refers after NHS (29.6%); 57.8% of the children performed NHS; 50,2% of children completed the diagnosis in the age group over one year old; auditory status was found to be 22,4% for bilaterally sensorial hearing loss, 17,7% for conductive hearing loss. Conclusion: The principal reason for searching diagnosis was hearing loss, and not because of refers after NHS. The center assists specially the children who live in the area for which the center is responsible, according to the hearing health policies.