Public Health, Prevention, and Social Work: The Case of Infant Hearing Loss

Abstract

This article focuses on the connection between social work practice and prevention in public health by presenting a study on newborns who may have hearing impairments. Newborn hearing screening records from six hospitals in a large suburban health system were analyzed. Binary logistic regression was used to predict factors related to being fit with hearing aids or loss-to-follow-up. Children with unilateral or conductive losses were less likely to be fit with hearing aids as were children with Medicaid coverage and families living 25 or more miles away from the hearing center. Implications for social work practice are discussed.