Families affected by deafness: hospital services uptake in a multiethnic population

Abstract

Aims: To examine the uptake of relevant hospital services by families with deaf children and to compare use of these services between Pakistani and white families. Methods: A total of 214 deaf children with amplification aids who attended their paediatric outpatient and school medical appointments from October 2000 to March 2003 were studied in an observational cohort study. Results: The demographic profile of both the Pakistani and white families was similar. Pakistani children had a statistically significant excess of the following risk factors: consanguineous marriages (86.4% Pakistani, 1.5% white), family history of deafness (66.4% Pakistani, 38.8% white), and family size (birth order .5: 12.8% Pakistani: 4.5% white). White children were more likely to have had post-meningitis deafness (1.4% Pakistani, 13.4% white) and congenital infections, or have dysmorphic features (5.0% Pakistani, 13.4% white). Overall the uptake of relevant hospital services by Pakistani and white families was very similar irrespective of an early or late diagnosis. There was an increased likelihood of white families declining cochlear implantation (17.6% Pakistani, 75.0% white). Conclusions: This study did not show significant differences in hospital service uptake despite different risk profiles for childhood deafness for both Pakistani and white families in Bradford. Among specialist services offered, cochlear implantation was more likely to be accessed by Pakistani families.

Low prevalence of DFNB1 (connexin 26) mutations in British Pakistani children with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss

“…In common with other British Asian communities,34 35 the prevalence of childhood HL in general is high, significantly above the UK average, in Bradford British Asians 36. Both genetic and non-genetic factors are likely to be implicated, and improvements in healthcare and socio-economic conditions have been enhancing the influence of the genetic element.…”

Developing and evaluating a culturally appropriate genetic service for consanguineous South Asian families

“…• Some couples would consider prenatal testing or pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for high-risk pregnancies by providing culturally appropriate services (Yoong et al 2005). Receiving information and explanations through interpreters is not always effective (Browner et al 2003) and the families offered our service appreciated having this provided by an Urdu-speaking health professional.…”

Evidence of Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education in an English Population

“…The increased risk for sensory and severe intellectual impairment among Pakistani and Bangladeshi children in England has been linked with genetic factors associated with consanguineous marriages (Morton et al, 2002;Yoong, Feltbower, Spencer, & McKinney, 2005;. For example, Morton et al (2002) reported genetic disease causing disability as 10 times more common among children of Pakistani heritage than other groups in one English health authority.…”