Health screening at school entry--what is achieved?

Evaluative research on screening in school children is needed because of a lack of studies about its effectiveness. This paper reports a study of the school medical records of 790 children, aged 5-6 years, first screened in 1980. Sixty-six per cent of the parents of children who were notified of an abnormality in their child were followed up to determine subsequent action. Although a complete physical examination had been performed, 87% of all notified abnormalities involved vision (including squint), hearing and dental problems. The prevalence rate of previously unknown health problems (excluding dental problems) confirmed by another health professional was 5%. This rate was lowered to 2% when only children with moderate or severe problems presently receiving treatment were included. Some of the practical problems and importance of screening are discussed.