Title
Early detection of psychosocial problems in children aged 5 to 6 years by preventive child healthcare: Has it improved?
Author
Theunissen, M.H.C.
Vogels, A.G.C.
Reijneveld, S.A.
Publication year
2012
Abstract
Objective: To assess whether the quality of identification of psychosocial problems by preventive child healthcare professionals (CHPs) in children aged 5-6 years has improved after a series of nationwide interventions. Study design: We analyzed data about 8440 children aged 5-6 years who were assessed during routine well-child visits by CHPs (response rates, 85%-90%). Of these children, 4339 were assessed before the interventions. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and CHPs reported on psychosocial problems that they identified in children. The agreement between identification of psychosocial problems by CHPs and parent-reported problems on the CBCL were assessed before and after the nationwide interventions. Results: CHPs identified psychosocial problems in 22%-28% of all children. Identification of psychosocial problems by CHPs was much more likely in children with an elevated CBCL total problems score than in others (OR: 4.65, 95% CI: 3.28-6.58). The quality of identification by CHPs did not improve after the interventions, the OR for improvement was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.57-1.15). Conclusions: The quality of problem identification by CHPs has not improved. CHPs still miss many cases with parent-reported problems on the CBCL. Additional efforts are needed to improve early identification of psychosocial problems. © Copyright 2012 Mosby Inc. All rights reserved.
Subject
Human
CH - Child Health
BSS - Behavioural and Societal Sciences
Healthy for Life
Healthy Living
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:57d29edc-b445-4a67-ad35-b08d486786f7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.08.038
TNO identifier
446876
ISSN
0022-3476
Source
Journal of Pediatrics, 160 (3), 500-504
Document type
article