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Developmental screening tools: feasibility of use at primary healthcare level in low- and middle-income settings
Insights
Early identification of developmental disabilities in young children is crucial. Three screening tools show promise for use by primary healthcare providers in low-resource settings, aiding early intervention efforts.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Global Health
- Primary Healthcare
Background:
- An estimated 150 million children globally live with a disability.
- Early identification of developmental disabilities is a World Health Organization priority to reduce impairments.
- Implementing effective screening in low-resource settings presents significant challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of developmental screening and monitoring tools for children aged 0-3 years.
- To evaluate tools for use by non-specialist primary healthcare providers in low-resource settings.
- To identify validated tools suitable for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was conducted to identify relevant developmental screening tools.
- Psychometric properties and feasibility indicators for LMICs were assessed.
- Expert consultation informed the derivation of key feasibility indicators for LMICs.
Main Results:
- 14 tools used in LMICs were extracted from 426 identified studies.
- Three developmental screening tools demonstrated adequate psychometric properties.
- These three tools met most feasibility criteria for primary healthcare use in LMICs.
Conclusions:
- Three developmental screening tools are promising for identifying and monitoring young children with disabilities in LMICs.
- These tools can potentially be utilized at the primary healthcare level.
- Further research and development are necessary to optimize these tools for widespread implementation.
Abstract:
An estimated 150 million children have a disability. Early identification of developmental disabilities is a high priority for the World Health Organization to allow action to reduce impairments through Gap Action Program on mental health. The study identified the feasibility of using the developmental screening and monitoring tools for children aged 0-3 year(s) by non-specialist primary healthcare providers in low-resource settings. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the tools, assess their psychometric properties, and feasibility of use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Key indicators to examine feasibility in LMICs were derived from a consultation with 23 international experts. We identified 426 studies from which 14 tools used in LMICs were extracted for further examination. Three tools reported adequate psychometric properties and met most of the feasibility criteria. Three tools appear promising for use in identifying and monitoring young children with disabilities at primary healthcare level in LMICs. Further research and development are needed to optimize these tools.
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