title: Factors associated with scoliosis in schoolchildren: a cross-sectional population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of scoliosis and to analyze the factors associated with scoliosis in schoolchildren aged between 7 and 17 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional and quantitative study with stratified random selection of public school students in the city of Santa Cruz, Brazil. The presence of scoliosis was examined, as well as the flexibility of the posterior muscle chain, socioeconomic characteristics, anthropometry, lifestyle habits, sexual maturation, and ergonomics of school furniture. In order to identify factors associated with scoliosis, the variables were divided in biological, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and ergonomic factors, and crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated by means of Poisson regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and twelve pupils participated in this study (mean age 11.61 years, 58% female). The prevalence of scoliosis was 58.1% (n = 123) and associated with female sex (PR 2.54; 95% CI, 1.33-4.86) and age between 13 and 15 years (PR 5.35; 95% CI, 2.17-13.21). Sleeping in a hammock was inversely associated with scoliosis (PR 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scoliosis seems to be positively associated with female sex and age between 13 and 15 years, whereas the habit of sleeping in a hammock is negatively associated with the onset of scoliosis.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy, Graduate Program at the Mid-West State University.
authors.forename: Marina Pegoraro
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Geronimo José Bouzas
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Sanchis
authors.forename: Sanderson José Costa
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: de Assis
authors.forename: Rafael Gomes
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Silvana Alves
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Klayton Galante
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Johnnatas Mikael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution