2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
3/07/2023 | 3:45 PM - 4:15 PM | Ensuring EHDI During Time of Crisis and the Impact on Existing Health Disparities | DECC 203/204
Ensuring EHDI During Time of Crisis and the Impact on Existing Health Disparities
The provision of healthcare was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including early hearing detection and intervention. Subsequently, to ensure timely diagnosis of hearing status and reduce loss-to follow-up (LTFU), an audiology work group developed guidance for diagnostic centers regarding triage and prioritization for scheduling catch-up appointments. Earlier findings showed an initial delay in diagnosis during shutdowns existed there was a quick catch up and return to normalcy. However, the effects of the pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in LTFU rates for several minority groups, including families using Medicaid, families receiving WIC, and infants with non-Hispanic Black mothers.
This study aims to answer three questions: 1. did LTFU rates in the above minority groups return to pre-pandemic levels in a timely fashion? 2. were there existing disparities in LTFU rates in these minority groups prior to 2020? 3. If so, were these disparities exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic? Data were collected from hearing screening and diagnostic results submitted to the Ohio Department of Health. Monthly variation of the mean age of confirmed diagnostic follow-up after receiving a screening referral at birth was the main point of analysis.
Infants born during the early pandemic were diagnosed at an older age than those born pre-pandemic, but mean age at diagnosis recovered by May 2020. Preliminary results for those receiving Medicaid, WIC, and non-Hispanic Black mothers shows similar trends. Gaps between their respective groups in 2019 are markedly reduced after the new scheduling procedures. Survey results suggest that these implemented changes have helped reduce the age of infants confirmed hearing status overall, as well as reducing an existing health disparity gap between recipients of Medicaid, those receiving WIC, and infants with Non-Hispanic Black mothers.
- Participants will be able to list two major changes to Ohio’s diagnostic scheduling procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Participants will be able to identify health disparities in Ohio’s EHDI LTFU rates prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Participants will be able to identify areas where health disparities improved, worsened, or stayed the same because of the diagnostic scheduling changes.
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Presenters/Authors
Mallory Minter-Mohr
(), Bureau of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Mallory.Minter-Mohr@odh.ohio.gov;
Mallory Minter-Mohr is a Researcher for the Ohio Department of Health with the Bureau of Maternal, Child and Family Health. She provides data support to the Infant Hearing Program, as well as Children’s Hearing & Vision, Adolescent Youth Surveys, and Birth Defects.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Ryan Harrison
(), Ohio Department of Health, ryan.harrison@odh.ohio.gov;
Ryan Harrison is a researcher with the Ohio Department of Health. He provides data support for the Infant Hearing Program, as well as Children’s Hearing & Vision, Save Our Sight, and Sickle Cell Services. He is a graduate of the Ohio State University and has a PhD in Speech and Hearing Science. Outside of work, he enjoys board games, curling, and building sets for local theatre.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Reena Kothari
(), Ohio Department of Health, Reena.Kothari@odh.ohio.gov;
Reena Kothari, Au.D. is currently a Public Health Audiology Consultant for The Ohio Department of Health in the Infant Hearing Program and the newborn hearing screening contact. Reena has spoken both nationally and statewide about Ohio’s EHDI program. She has developed many public awareness materials in several formats for the Ohio Department of Health’s Infant Hearing Program. Reena was the team lead for the National Initiative on Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) and is a member of several committees in Ohio. Her previous experience includes newborn hearing screening, clinical and dispensing services for adults and pediatrics. Reena has a strong background in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) and is interested in continuous quality improvement for successful outcomes for children identified with hearing loss and deafness.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.