TY - JOUR T1 - Pre-school development screening in a health centre — the problem of non-attendance JF - The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners JO - J R Coll Gen Pract SP - 428 LP - 430 VL - 27 IS - 180 AU - C. B. Freer AU - T. A. Ogunmuyiwa Y1 - 1977/07/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/27/180/428.abstract N2 - Poor attendance at a health centre pre-school child screening clinic (total default rate 41·2 per cent) raises the question of whether selective screening would be a more realistic alternative to comprehensive screening. Furthermore, an analysis of the outcome of screening over one year has shown a low prevalence of abnormalities and underlines the need to justify such programmes as worthwhile screening tests. The most efficient method of detecting child-hood abnormalities at an early a stage as possible remains an open question, but with present financial restrictions and staff shortages, whatever programmes are used, rigorous continuing evaluation is essential. ER -