Triagem auditiva neonatal: motivos da evasão das famílias no processo de detecção precoce

PURPOSE: To analyze the reasons for evasion of the families from the newborn hearing screening program conducted at a public hospital, and to correlate them with the demographic distribution of the families and the characteristics of the program. METHODS: Participants were 132 families, from a total of 739 contacted, whose children had been born in a maternity hospital in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, from October/2003 to December/2005, and who had not showed up for the newborn hearing screening test or retest. A questionnaire regarding the causes for evasion was applied, asking information related to the newborn hearing screening, level of education and occupation of parents, and the child's hearing and language development. RESULTS: The questionnaire was applied to 132 families (17.86%); contact was not possible with the other families. From this total, 82 had not shown up in the first stage of the hearing screening (test), and 50 had not returned for retest. The most frequently provided reasons for the evasion were lack of interest and scheduling conflicts. There was no association between the reasons for the evasion and parent's education level and occupation, nor with the professional who provided orientation regarding the newborn hearing screening. Hearing alteration were not referred, as well as significant language development delay. CONCLUSION: The reasons for family evasion are independent from variables related to the family and the dynamics of the hearing screening program.