All issues > Volume 53(3); 2010

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2010;53(3):307-313. Published online March 15, 2010.

One-year evaluation of the national health screening program for infants and children in Korea

Jin Soo JS Moon¹, Soon Young SY Lee², Baik-Lin BL Eun³, Young Key YK Kim⁴, Young Key YK Kim⁵, Son Moon SM Shin⁶, Hea Kyoung HK Lee⁷, Hee Jung HJ Chung⁸

¹Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea
²Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
³Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁴Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, NHIC Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea
⁵Department of Psychiatry, NHIC Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea
⁶Department of Pediatrics, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁷Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea
⁸Department of Pediatrics, NHIC Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea

Correspondence Hee Jung HJ Chung ,Email: agathac@nhimc.or.kr

Received: February 18, 2010; Revised: February 25, 2010   Accepted: March 2, 2010.

Abstract

Purpose
Results of the Korea National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children, which was launched in November 2007, were evaluated for future research and policy development.
Methods
Data from a total of 2,729,340 cases were analyzed. Five visiting ages, such as 4, 9, 18, 30, and 60 months, were included. Several parameters such as stunting, obesity, and positive rate of developmental screening were also analyzed. Telephone survey was performed in 1,035 users. For the provider survey, 262 doctors participated in our study.
Results
The overall participation rate of users was 35.3%. This participation rate showed a decrement tendency to old age and low income. Only 6.9% of users participated in oral screening. Health screening was performed mainly in private clinics (82.6%). The recall rate of 4 months program users at the age of 9 months was 57.3%. The positive rate of screening was 3.1%, and was higher in the low-income group. By telephone survey, users reported that questionnaires were not difficult (94%) and overall satisfaction was good (73%). Longer duration of counseling was related with more satisfied users. Counseling and health education were helpful to users (73.2%). Doctors agreed that this program was helpful to children (98.5%).
Conclusion
Korea National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children was launched successfully. Participation rate should be improved, and a quality control program needs to be developed. More intensive support following this program for children of low-income families may lead to effective interventions in controlling health inequality. Periodic update of guidelines is also needed.

Keywords :Korea, Health Screening, Infant, Child, Health Inequality