Hannah Pimperton|Hazel I. Blythe|Jana Kreppner|Merle Mahon|Janet L. Peacock|Jim Stevenson|Emmanouela Terlektsi|Sarah Worsfold|Ho Ming Yuen|Colin Kennedy
The impact of universal newborn hearing screening on long-term literacy outcomes: a prospective cohort study
University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University College Lahore|Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust|King's College London|University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University of Southampton|University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust|University of Southampton
determine whether benefits universal newborn hearing screening unhs seen age 8 years persist second decadeprospective cohort study population sample children permanent childhood hearing impairment pchi followed 17 years since birth periods without unhsbirth cohort 100 000 southern england114 teenagers aged 1319 years 76 pchi 38 normal hearing previously reading assessed aged 610 yearsbirth periods without unhs confirmation pchi age 9 monthsreading comprehension ability regression modelling took account severity hearing loss nonverbal ability maternal education main languageconfirmation pchi age 9 months associated significantly higher mean zscores reading comprehension adjusted mean difference 117 95 ci 036 197 although birth periods unhs adjusted mean difference 015 95 ci 075 106 gap reading comprehension zscores teenagers early compared late confirmed pchi widened adjusted mean rate 006 per year 95 ci 002 013 92year mean interval since previous assessmentthe benefit reading comprehension confirmation pchi age 9 months increases teenage years strengthens case unhs programmes lead early confirmation permanent hearing lossisrctn03307358