Developmental screenings in rural settings: a comparison of the child development review and the Denver II...

Screening results for the Child Development Review (CDR) and the Denver II Developmental Screening Test (Denver II) were compared in two locations: the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota and Sioux Falls, S.D. Seventy-three white, Native American and other minority children, half originating from the reservation and half from Sioux Falls, were randomly assigned to take one developmental screening test. A chi-square analysis indicated a significant difference in results across tests. Specifically, more CDR than Denver II subjects passed the screening and more Denver II than CDR subjects failed the screening. This pattern held for subjects living on, but not off, the reservation. Thus, for Native American, white and other minority children living on the Cheyenne River Reservation, the CDR may be undersensitive and/or the Denver II oversensitive to suspect presentations. Medical practitioners are advised to use these instruments with caution in rural settings.