Educating Parents Improves Their Ability to Recognize Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

(1) In countries where scoliosis screening programs ended, the responsibility for detection shifted from healthcare professionals to parents. Since recognizing scoliosis is difficult for parents, more patients are presenting late. Increased awareness of scoliosis may favor earlier detection. This study examines the effect of educating parents to recognize scoliosis. (2) In this cross-sectional study a consecutive group of parents completed a digital assessment. They had to complete two identical series of fourteen cases (eight with scoliosis and six without). Each case displayed two photographs of the child's back; one in standing position and one during forward-bending. Based on visual inspection, parents had to indicate if the child had to be referred to a physician. After assessing the first series, information was given on how to detect scoliosis. Subsequently, parents assessed the second series of cases. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated before and after education. (3) A total of 100 parents completed the assessment. The sensitivity to detect scoliosis was slightly but significantly higher after education (68.8% versus 74.0%;