Recognition of clinical characteristics for population-based surveillance of fetal alcohol syndrome

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Birth Defects Res
• Personal Author:
  Andrews, Jennifer G. ; Galindo, Maureen K. ; Meaney, F. John ; Benavides, Argelia ; Mayate, Linnette ; Fox, Deborah ; Pettygrove, Sydney ; O’Leary, Leslie ; Cunniff, Christopher
• Description:
  Background:
  
  The diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) rests on identification of characteristic facial, growth, and central nervous system (CNS) features. Public health surveillance of FAS depends on documentation of these characteristics. We evaluated if reporting of FAS characteristics is associated with the type of provider examining the child.
  
  Methods:
  
  We analyzed cases aged 7–9 years from the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Surveillance Network II (FASSNetII). We included cases whose surveillance records included the type of provider (qualifying provider: developmental pediatrician, geneticist, neonatologist; other physician; or other provider) who evaluated the child as well as the FAS diagnostic characteristics (facial dysmorphology, CNS impairment, and/or growth deficiency) reported by the provider.
  
  Results:
  
  A total of 345 cases were eligible for this analysis. Of these, 188 (54.5%) had adequate information on type of provider. Qualifying physicians averaged more than six reported FAS characteristics while other providers averaged less than five. Qualifying physicians reported on facial characteristics and developmental delay more frequently than other providers. Also, qualifying physicians reported on all three domains of characteristics (facial, CNS, and growth) in 97% of cases while others reported all three characteristics on two thirds of cases.
  
  Conclusions:
  
  Documentation in medical records during clinical evaluations for FAS is lower than optimal for cross-provider communication and surveillance purposes. Lack of documentation limits the quality and quantity of information in records that serve as a major source of data for public health surveillance systems.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Article Child Clinical Competence Clinical Diagnosis Diagnostic Characteristics Female Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Health Communication Health Personnel Health Workforce Humans Male Medical Records Population Surveillance Public Health Public Health Surveillance

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• Source:
  Birth Defects Res. 110(10):851-862
• Pubmed ID:
  29368410
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6066339
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  110
• Issue:
  10
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:4507c2ed0a4238bf0e98357d4f594b06e0723b5299fd9b304930b1dcb29a69b2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/57783/cdc_57783_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 110.28 KB ]