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Comprehensive Health Screening in Elementary Schools: An Outcome Evaluation
Author(s) -
Brink Susan G.,
Nader Philip R.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1984.tb08770.x
Subject(s) - referral , false positive paradox , medicine , family medicine , outcome (game theory) , health care , health screening , primary care , political science , mathematics , mathematical economics , machine learning , computer science , law
A health screening program, piloted in 14 school districts in Texas from 1977 to 1979, was evaluated to determine the outcome of the screenings. Outcome measures used were the number of completed referrals, the number of conditions judged by health care providers not to exist and the number of problems of potential educational significance identified. While several problems were detected, the high rate of false positives and low referral completion reported from community health care providers leads to questions concerning the effectiveness of comprehensive health screening in the schools. However, the emphasis placed on identification during the screening of children with educationally significant problems may enable the schools to better serve these children. Referral follow‐up in the community and schools to address identified problems would assure that the expenditure of funds for screening would not be futile.