M Soto Torres1. 1. Centro de Salud de Puerto Real, Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria de Cádiz.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of the school health programme to detect anomalies in visual sharpness. DESIGN: A descriptive, crossover study. SETTING: Puerto Real Health Centre (Cádiz). PATIENTS: A random sample of school-children included in the school health programme for the first year of EGB (basic) and belonging to schools located in the health district. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Visual sharpness was examined using Snellen's optotypes scale. Out of a sample of 300 children, 72 cases of deficiency were detected, 50 of them for the first time. Of 34 children with a previously unidentified deficiency who were surveyed by telephone and checked by the ophthalmologist, 22 had the suspected deficiency confirmed, treatment being prescribed for 19. This meant a minimum effectiveness of 38%, with the cases lost and not checked being considered not confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of this study, our effectiveness in detecting visual sharpness during the school health examination is quite acceptable. Therefore, we propose its continuity, incorporating some improvements in quality.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of the school health programme to detect anomalies in visual sharpness. DESIGN: A descriptive, crossover study. SETTING: Puerto Real Health Centre (Cádiz). PATIENTS: A random sample of school-children included in the school health programme for the first year of EGB (basic) and belonging to schools located in the health district. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Visual sharpness was examined using Snellen's optotypes scale. Out of a sample of 300 children, 72 cases of deficiency were detected, 50 of them for the first time. Of 34 children with a previously unidentified deficiency who were surveyed by telephone and checked by the ophthalmologist, 22 had the suspected deficiency confirmed, treatment being prescribed for 19. This meant a minimum effectiveness of 38%, with the cases lost and not checked being considered not confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of this study, our effectiveness in detecting visual sharpness during the school health examination is quite acceptable. Therefore, we propose its continuity, incorporating some improvements in quality.