Aim: To review the effect of school screening on the referral pattern and management at a provincial scoliosis clinic.

Methods: Records of all females aged 10 to 17 years with scoliosis seen in Mackay (North Queensland) were reviewed. The age, date of presentation, magnitude of the curve, Risser sign, menarche and previous treatments were noted. Patients wearing scoliosis braces were reviewed to determine compliance. School Health, Mackay, provided data on number of females who were in grade seven at school and these were screened. The number having a possible deformity, and the number of confirmed cases per year were recorded.

Results: Notification rates for potential scoliosis cases ranged from 29.5% in 1993 to1.8% in 1998. The annual prevalence of confirmed scoliosis ranged from 3.3% in 1992 to 1% in 1997. Twenty-four of 57 cases seen in the clinic were initially detected by school screening. Those in the group detected by screening were significantly younger than other referrals, but no significant differences were noted in curve size, Risser sign or the menarche. The proportion treated with a brace was significantly greater in the screened group (p=.03), but the proportion coming to surgery was not significantly different (p=.07) between groups.

Conclusions: Although school screening for scoliosis resulted in referral at an earlier age, it did not translate to detection of smaller curves at an earlier stage of development, nor to a trend to brace treatment. The efficacy of bracing depended on compliance.