Feasibility of Stepwise Tablet-Based Audiometry With Rapid Results (STARR) School Protocol in Minnesota Elementary Schools

Sunday, September 29, 2024

8:48 AM – 8:54 AM EDT

Location: MBCC, 225

Disclosure(s):

Autefeh S. Sajjadi, MD, MS:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Nobles Antwi:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Morgan S. McBride:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Asitha DL Jayawardena, MD, MPH:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: School-based hearing screening is an equitable means to facilitate preventative hearing care for children with hearing loss that occurs after the newborn period. However, despite technologic advancements in audiometric testing, there has been a lack of innovation in school-based screening over the past several decades.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study in which first grade students across 6 elementary schools in a single school district (Hennepin County, MN) received technology-based hearing screening. All students in the STARR protocol underwent an initial screen; followed by additional comprehensive audiometry with insert headphones as well as point-of-care otoscopy if they referred (via HearX, Pretoria, SA). Final audiometry and otoscopy results were reviewed by an otolaryngologist remotely and parents received treatment recommendations (which accompanied their child’s audiogram and otoscopic image) based on these findings.

Results: A total of 454 (81% of eligible) students were screened, 388 (85.5%) passed the initial hearing screen and 66 (14.5%) were referred for additional insert audiometry and otoscopy. Ultimately, 39 students passed the secondary hearing test and 27 (5.9% of total) were referred (a referral reduction of 60.6%). Otoscopy revealed the presence of fluid, cerumen, retraction pockets, tube extrusions, etc. There were 14 students with unilateral mild hearing loss (HL), 2 unilateral moderate HL, 7 bilateral mild HL, 1 bilateral moderate HL and 3 with one side mild HL and the other moderate HL. On average, the initial screen took 55 seconds (StDv=22) for those who passed, 116 seconds (StDv=55) for those who referred. The more comprehensive screen took 163 seconds (StDv=27) for those who passed and 252 seconds (StDv=100) for those who referred. A team of 6 screeners could screen a class of 30 students in 30 minutes.

Conclusions: Utilization of stepwise tech-based audiometry is a feasible and efficient method of screening in public schools that can reduce false referral rate and provide parents more information at the point of referral.

Presenting Author(s)

Autefeh S. Sajjadi, MD, MS

Resident
University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology
Minneapolis, MN, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

NA

Nobles Antwi

Medical Student
University of Minnesota School of Medicine
Shakopee, MN, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
MM

Morgan S. McBride

3rd year Medical Student
University of Minnesota School of Medicine
West Lakeland, MN, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
MM

Madeline Marker, BA

University of Minnesota Medical School, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Soorya T. Todatry

Medical Student
University of Minnesota
St Paul, MN, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
KG

Kimberly Guettler

Edina Public Schools, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

Asitha DL Jayawardena, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology
Childrens Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.