Banca de DEFESA: AMANDA ALMEIDA BATISTA

HEARING HEALTH PROGRAMS: CONTRIBUTIONS TO DEVELOPING CHILD IMPLANTS

key words: Cochlear Implant, Deafness, Language Development, Health Equity, Coverage Equity. 

Cochlear Implant (CI) is an electronic device capable of partially replacing a sensory organ in individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. Brazil currently has 26 referral centers that assist the deaf population at all ages, both in the private network and in the Unified Health Service. The objective of this study is to know the sociodemographic profile and the etiology of deaf children submitted to cochlear implantation by the Unified Health System in Rio Grande do Norte. This is a cross-sectional study, based on information from medical records of children using cochlear implants throughout the state, at the cochlear implant referral service, Otomed Clinic. The study population consisted of children from 0 to 12 years old, of both sexes, users of cochlear implants, who underwent surgery and activation between January 2008 and December 2017, residents of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. For the analysis of qualitative variables, it was used the description of absolute and relative frequencies and for the quantitative variables were extracted the measures of central tendency and dispersion. The qualitative analysis also considered the descriptions of the cases with the dissertation of the particular findings of the relevant cases. The partial results show that the service has been working positively regarding the equitable access of low-income families and early diagnosis, however, it was also observed the negative aspects such as the lack of etiological diagnosis of deafness, the cochlear implant after the critical period for oral language development and the failure of medical records.