Impact of ASQ Scores on Pediatrician Referral Patterns

2012

Rachel Valleley
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402-559-6408

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended an algorithm for identifying children with potential developmental delays. It includes a recommendation that positive screening should result in referral for additional evaluation or intervention. Yet, it is not known whether positive screens do, in fact, influence physician referrals. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether positive screens from an Ages and Stages Questionnaire would prompt physicians to refer for additional evaluation or intervention as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics algorithm. A sample of 207 physicians read one of three hypothetical clinical vignettes describing an 18-month-old child with ambiguous language development. Vignettes differed on the presence or absence of an Ages and Stages Questionnaire score and, if a score was present, on whether the Ages and Stages Questionnaire score was positive or negative.

ASQ, development, referral patterns, screening

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

Consumers/Families, Professionals, Policymakers

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