Newborn pulse oximetry screening coverage in a nationwide complex survey sample: An assessment of a congenital heart disease early detection program at the regional level in Brazil

Objectives

To estimate the coverage of newborn pulse oximetry screening (POS) in Brazil, as well as identifies associated factors and the proportion of positive screening results.

Methods

Coverage was estimated based on the most recent National Health Survey (2019). Adjusted marginal prevalence ratios were estimated via poisson regression model with robust variance.

Results

The POS coverage was 66.3 % (95 %CI: 65.5–67.1; N = 3,140,023) and was higher in children born in privately funded hospitals (PFHs) than in the Unified Health System (SUS): 78.1 % (76.7–79.5) versus 61.1 % (60.2–62.1). In the North region, the POS coverage in PFHs (64.9 %, 59.7–70.1) was lower than that in the South (82.5 %, 79.4–85.6) and the Southeast (81.5 %, 79.3–83.6); it was even lower in SUS in the North (44.0 %; 42.4–45.6). After a federal ordinance providing financial resources to postscreening diagnostic, the screening coverage in SUS increased from 57.6 % (56.2–59.1) to 64.6 % (63.3–65.9). The proportion of positive screening tests was 9.2 % (8.9–9.5) in SUS and 7.8 % (7.3–8.3) in PFHs, of which 40.8 % (40.5–41.1) underwent complementary exams in SUS and 57.2 % (56.7–57.7) in PFHs. In the multivariate model, the main independent predictors of POS were the coverage of other newborn screening tests.

Conclusions

Inequalities were found between major regions and healthcare systems. Government financial incentives have reduced this inequality, although the percentage of postscreening complementary exams remains insufficient and unequal. The main independent predictors of screening prevalence were those related to the organization of health services.