Family needs of preschool children with hearing loss in a multi-provincial service-connected sample in China: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and preliminarily evaluate a China-contextualized Family Needs Scale and describe priority needs in a multi-provincial service-connected sample of pre-school children with hearing loss.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

STUDY SAMPLE: Primary caregivers (N = 266) of pre-school children with hearing loss from 21 provinces, recruited through rehabilitation, hospital, school, and private services and caregiver networks, completed a 41-item Family Needs Scale.

RESULTS

Needs were high across domains (M = 4.51/5.00), with nearly 90% of responses rated "needed" or "very much needed." Educational needs were rated highest, followed by rehabilitation, social support, and medical needs (p < .001). The most endorsed items concerned speech-language rehabilitation guidance, school-placement counselling, and the developmental impact of hearing loss; early screening items were rated lowest. Most demographic variables were unrelated to needs. In univariate analyses, household income, disability certificate status, degree of hearing loss, and newborn hearing screening history were associated with social support needs.

CONCLUSIONS

Support for speech-language rehabilitation, school placement, and hearing devices was most strongly endorsed; low-income families and those distancing from disability registration may warrant targeted outreach. Because the sample was not population-representative, findings are preliminary.