Screening programmes for children and adolescents aged 6-18 years, Part II

Research area: Prevention and screening

Duration: April 2019 – November 2019
Suggested by: Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection
Language: German

Publication: LBI-HTA Project report No. 123 + Addendum: https://eprints.aihta.at/1221

Background:
In Austria, a routine screening programme (the ‚mother-child pass‘) is available for all pregnant women and for all children up to the age of 62 months. Currently, there are no uniform routine screenings for children older than 6 years or for adolescents.

A LBI-HTA project report from the year 2018 researched and summarised screening programmes in selected countries and screening recommendations from evidence-based guidelines for the age group 6-14 years.

Aim of project:
The follow-up project will provide an update of the information of the report from 2018 (in particular, concerning the extension of the relevant age group until 18 years, timing of the screening, and screening methods). The aim of the project is to develop a decision support for a new Austrian screening programme for children and adolescents from 6 to 18 years, based on evidence-based guidelines.

For this purpose, the summary of results will provide screening recommendations according to age groups and focusing on

2. screening scope,
3. screening time periods,
2. screening methods (tests, instruments, etc.).

Methods:

2. Research and summary of already existing Austrian screening programs;
3. Database search/ search on websites of guideline institutions for evidence-based guidelines for the age group 6-18 years (update of project part 1 from 2018);
2. Contact of experts/professional associations (in case of lacking guidelines, ‘good practice’ examples e.g. for screening examinations, instruments etc.);
2. Systematic analysis of guideline recommendations.

Schedule:

April – May 2019	Preparation of project protocol Search in databases and web search (guideline institutions, professional associations) Systematic selection of the guidelines according to predefined inclusion criteria
Juni – Oktober 2019	Preparation of an overview of already existing Austrian screening programmes Update of the LBI-HTA report from 2018 Identification of missing information from guidelines Synthesis of the results and development of screening recommendations focusing on screening content, time periods and methods Grouping/ visualisation of screening recommendations according to age groups (screening time periods)
November 2019	Internal and external review Finalisation of the screening recommendations (6-18 years)