Findings from an AAP Periodic Survey show most U.S. primary care pediatricians report screening for developmental delay, maternal depression and social determinants of health. At the same time, a substantial number report barriers to screening (Coker TR, et al. Pediatrics. July 22, 2024, https://bit.ly/46pRaCm).
Among primary care pediatricians who care for children under 3 years old, 98% of those surveyed in 2019 reported screening for developmental delay, 83% for maternal depression and 77% for social determinants of health.
Fewer primary care pediatricians reported they always or almost always use a standardized screening instrument (59% for developmental delay, 45% for maternal depression and 13% for social determinants of health).
When asked to identify barriers to screening in their practice, difficulty prioritizing time was an important barrier for all three areas (see figure). Nearly half or more agreed or strongly agreed difficulty prioritizing time was a barrier to screening for social determinants of health (63%), maternal depression (55%) and developmental delay (46%). Pediatricians more often reported barriers to screening for social determinants of health than maternal depression or developmental delay.
Additional data from Periodic Survey respondents not included in this paper offer insight into the degree to which primary care pediatricians have in determining screening protocols. Twenty-seven percent reported that they are completely responsible for choosing which specific conditions to screen, 36% said they are mostly responsible, 26% said they are somewhat responsible and 11% said they are not responsible.
The 2019 Periodic Survey was sent to 1,614 nonretired AAP members in the U.S.; residents and subspecialists were excluded from the sample. The response rate was 47%.
Resources
- Bright Futures
- AAP resources on developmental surveillance and screening
- AAP resources on perinatal mental health and social support
- For more information on the AAP Periodic Survey, visit http://www.aap.org/ps or call William Burr at 630-626-6633.
