Identifying children with Special Health Care Needs in Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, obtaining reliable prevalence rates for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) is challenging. One of the tools used to identify CSHCN is the CSHCN Screener (not available in Arabic). The aim is to test the feasibility of using an Arabic version of CSHCN screener in identifying CSHCN in the Egyptian setup and to estimate their prevalence in Alexandria. METHODS: A community-based survey was conducted among a representative sample of children using a multistage cluster sampling technique. A pre-designed interviewing questionnaire and the Arabic translation of CSHCN screener were used. RESULTS: The prevalence of CSHCN was 12.2% and 91.8% of them had the three domains of health care needs. The most prevalent conditions requiring special health care were sensory and cognitive impairments and impaired mobility. Type of family was the only significant factor associated with special health care needs. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the screener can easily be used and help in identifying the majority of children that need to be the focus of the National health care services. It is recommended that the school health services add the screener to assist depicting the existing gaps in the health care system.

Assessment of Oral Health Related Quality of Life for Children With Special Health Care Needs After Oral Rehabilitation Under General Anaesthesia (Cross Sectional Study)

“…They found that the prevalence of CSHCN was 12.2% and the higher prevalence of CSHCN was in males, with a male to female ratio of 1.25:1. It was about 23% of the CSHCN, cognitive impairments about 16.4% and impaired mobility 9.8% (7).…”

Assessment of Nutritional status of children with special needs

“…Among these children, the most prominent conditions requiring special health care are sensory and cognitive impairments as well as impaired mobility. (2) Inadequate nutrition is a disabilityrelated problem for many children in the developing countries, manifested as lack of growth or stunting. The scope of this problem is substantial, with at least 30% of children under the age of five years old reported being moderately or severely stunted.…”

Child with special health needs at one hospital of the brazilian unified health system Criança com necessidades de saúde especiais de um hospital do sistema único de saúde

“…Screener has already been applied in other countries (Australia, United Kingdom) and culturally adapted to the languages spoken in Switzerland, Egypt and Brazil. [9][10][11][12][13][14] The CS® Screener consists of five structured questions, which must be answered by those who care for children and know their birth and health history, whether they are family members or not. It allows the identification of the prevalence of CRIANES and the assessment of the areas of special health needs that generate demands for long-term, continuous and complex care in the hospitalhome transition, homecare services and in the primary care.…”