KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARD EARLY DETECTION OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS IN A WELFARE TEACHING HOSPITAL/ MEDICAL CITY, BAGHDAD-2025

Background: Hearing plays a vital role in early childhood development, especially in language, learning, and social skills. Hearing loss at a young age can delay speech and reduce quality of life. In many low- and middle-income countries, lack of universal newborn hearing screening remains a challenge. Parental awareness is key to recognizing early signs and seeking timely help. Aim of the Study: To assess parents’ knowledge and attitude toward early detection of hearing impairment in children under five years at Pediatric Teaching Hospital/Medical City Directorate in Baghdad, 2025. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a pre-structured questionnaire adopted from previous literature. A total of 250 parents were selected through convenience sampling were recruited from the Pediatric Teaching Hospital /medical city. from March 1st to June 30th, 2025. The data collected using a questionnaire which consist of 3 parts, the first part about sociodemographic data, the second part measure parental knowledge (about causes, diagnosis, and early intervention), the third part about attitudes toward hearing impairment. Data were collected through direct interviews with Iraqi parents aged 18 years and above who had children under five years. SPSS version 26 was used for analysis. Results: Most participants were mothers 150 (60%). Knowledge levels were moderate in 153 (61.2%), good in 78 (31.2%), and poor in 19 (7.6%). Positive attitudes were reported by 228 (91.2%) of parents. Mothers had significantly higher knowledge and more positive attitudes than fathers (P < 0.001). However, only 6% of children had undergone hearing screening. Conclusion: More than half of the participants had a moderate level of knowledge about hearing impairment and screening, while the vast majority showed a positive attitude toward screening and early intervention. Only a small proportion of children had undergone screening. A significant association was found between being a mother and having a higher knowledge level as well as a positive attitude. These findings highlight the need to strengthen the health system to provide adequate facilities for screening.