Article type
Year
Abstract
Introduction: In the US, nine states have now established legislation making newborn hearing screening services mandatory. In Canada, there is growing pressure to establish newborn hearing screening programs. In one Canadian province, a group of epidemiologists, pediatricians, audiologists and ENT surgeons, have been involved in conducting a systematic review of newborn hearing screening guidelines in order to provide a research evidence basis for provincial policy decisions.
Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to describe the events that took place in this Canadian province at the committee, regional and provincial level after the completion of the systematic review. This paper focuses on the issues raised by the results of the systematic review and how those results were used to attempt to develop a provincial and national research agenda around newborn hearing screening.
Methods: A narrative description and qualitative analysis of the events occurring after the completion of a systematic review; as well, a description of the context within which these events occurred is provided. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of social epidemiology.
Results: The systematic review identified a number of major gaps in the available research evidence regarding newborn hearing screening. These gaps covered such basic issues as test performance and intervention effectiveness. In order for evidence-based decisions to be made around newborn hearing screening, a list of research questions needing to be answered was identified. The perceived obstacles to the development of a provincial and national research agenda designed to answer the identified research questions include: the time required to conduct the studies and the ensuing feeling of missing the clinical policy window of opportunity; the difficulty of securing funding on a research program basis; and the need for public policy makers' involvement in supporting and funding the needed research activities.
Discussion: While systematic reviews can be used for planning research agenda, a number of obstacles need to be overcome. A more direct link between clinical and public policy-makers, research, and research funding agencies may facilitate this process.
Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to describe the events that took place in this Canadian province at the committee, regional and provincial level after the completion of the systematic review. This paper focuses on the issues raised by the results of the systematic review and how those results were used to attempt to develop a provincial and national research agenda around newborn hearing screening.
Methods: A narrative description and qualitative analysis of the events occurring after the completion of a systematic review; as well, a description of the context within which these events occurred is provided. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of social epidemiology.
Results: The systematic review identified a number of major gaps in the available research evidence regarding newborn hearing screening. These gaps covered such basic issues as test performance and intervention effectiveness. In order for evidence-based decisions to be made around newborn hearing screening, a list of research questions needing to be answered was identified. The perceived obstacles to the development of a provincial and national research agenda designed to answer the identified research questions include: the time required to conduct the studies and the ensuing feeling of missing the clinical policy window of opportunity; the difficulty of securing funding on a research program basis; and the need for public policy makers' involvement in supporting and funding the needed research activities.
Discussion: While systematic reviews can be used for planning research agenda, a number of obstacles need to be overcome. A more direct link between clinical and public policy-makers, research, and research funding agencies may facilitate this process.