Social inequalities in maternal opinion of child development in southern Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
Concurrent validity of maternal opinion of child development was estimated in a cross-sectional, population-based survey of 6-59-mo children (n=3025), using a standard measure devised from the Denver Developmental Screening Test.


RESULTS
Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value increased with maternal education and family income. Positive predictive value was higher in low-income families and children with impairments, low birthweight and long hospital stays.


CONCLUSIONS
Children at social and clinical risk should be assessed more carefully, even if maternal report is normal or advanced.
de Lourdes Drachler
Maria
M
School of Allied Health Professions, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. malu.drachler@uea.ac.uk
de Castro Aerts
Denise Ganzo
DG
de Souza
Rosana Mendonça
RM
de Carvalho Leite
José Carlos
JC
Giugliani
Elsa Justo
EJ
Marshall
Tom
T
D001938:Brazil; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012424:Rural Population; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors