Understanding of paediatricians’ knowledge, behaviours and decision-making on paediatric hearing loss in three hospitals from the Viña del Mar-Quillota Health Service

Abstract

Introduction: Of all diagnosable sensory impairments, hearing loss (HL) has the highest prevalence worldwide. Consequences of HL include but are not limited to communication disability, language and learning disorders, behavioural difficulties, academic underachie- vement, and low self-esteem. Therefore, paediatrician involvement in ongoing care of pae- diatric HL is crucial for auditory, linguistic, and communicative aspects of childhood deve- lopment. Aim: To understand and describe the knowledge about paediatric HL of paedia- tricians from the Viña del Mar-Quillota Health Service, Chile. Material and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed. Thirty-three doctors from Neonatology and Paediatric Units from the Viña del Mar-Quillota Health Service completed a questionnaire exploring knowledge and behaviours regarding paediatric HL. Results: Participants ack- nowledged the importance of their role in the continuous care of paediatric HL. However, 72% of participants were provided with knowledge on paediatric HL only throughout their Conclusion: Provi- sion of HL information to paediatricians, and ongoing professional development is vital to the decisions regarding ongoing care of paediatric HL. Potential outcomes of knowledge provision and ongoing professional development for paediatric residents and paediatricians may result in early HL detection and intervention of paediatric HL, potentially reducing the impact of associated developmental consequences for children with HL.