Use of Portable Automated Auditory Brainstem Responses in Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening: A Mixed-Method Study in Odisha, India

Hearing loss in children affects cognitive development, so early detection is crucial. It is because of the lack of portable technology that the majority of hearing problems go undetected. The authors conducted a mixed-method study in India to examine the concurrent validity and operational feasibility of portable automated brainstem response (P-AABR) and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) in universal neonatal hearing screening. They screened 198 children’s ears using ABR and OAE devices. Additionally, 60 observations were recorded during the ‘portable automated ABR’ screening process. The hearing screening could be performed with P-AABR by any health care staff with basic skill-based training. However, the interpretation of the graphical wave required an audiologist. If the baby was quiet, the test could be performed in 20 min, including electrode implantation, impediment setting, earphone installation, and swipe counts. The P-AABR device can be used in the universal health coverage of hearing screening among infants in outreach areas due to its portability and minimal infrastructural requirements.