Prevalence of Scoliosis in Secondary School Children in Kermanshah

Introduction: Scoliosis is the lateral deviation of spinal column accompanied with the rotation & twisting of vertebrae on perpendiculars axis and it is one of the most common diseases in children. The importance of scoliosis as a health problem has been known in school aged children. Extensive screening programs have been implemented or are being implemented in different regions in the world. Regarding the importance of the topic and lack of such studies in the region, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of this disease in secondary school children.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on both male & female secondary school children in Kermanshah during the years 2003-4. 2194 children were selected using the randomized clustered sampling method. Then, the children were examined and doubtful subjects were referred to clinical specialist for further examinations. Collected data were analized using descriptive statistics.

Results: From 2194 studied children, 1100 children (50.1%) were male and 1094 (49.9%) were female. The mean age was 13.39±1.05 years. 95 children (4.3%) in the first stage of screening were identified as suspicious subjects. After clinical examinations, the scoliosis prevalence was confirmed in 1.05% and by adding the revised cases were 1.41%. The scoliosis prevalence was higher among girls than boys.

Conclusion: Comparing with other area, the scoliosis prevalence in Kermanshah secondary school children was lower, but there was unusual increase in scoliosis among girls than boys, which requires further researches.