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Ultrasound screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an innovation in preventive child health care in the Netherlands. Parental participation in the screening will be essential for the success of implementation of the screening. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether psychosocial factors (attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived effectiveness) predicted parental participation in the screening. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Using a questionnaire, several background variables (organization, sociodemographic variables, and knowledge) and psychosocial variables were collected. Blockwise logistic regression was used to analyze the relations. A total of 703 questionnaires of participating parents (response 61.7%) and 393 questionnaires of nonparticipating parents were received (response 37.2%). When controlling for the background variables, attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, and perceived effectiveness predicted parental participation in the screening (p< .05). Perceived severity of the dysplasia did not predict participation (p >.05). Psychosocial determinants influenced parental participation in the ultrasound screening for DDH. Emphasizing the positive aspects of the screening, highlighting the effectiveness, removing practical barriers, and being conscious of the influential role of child health care professionals on decision making are areas to focus on when organizing the ultrasound screening for DDH. Health care policy decision makers and child health care professionals should consider these determinants in order to stimulate parental participation

Doel: Rechtstreeks verwijzen door de jeugdarts naar de tweede lijn lijkt zinvol bij verdenking op heupdysplasie. Screening op heupdysplasie vindt plaats door lichamelijk onderzoek en de identificatie van risicofactoren. Echografische screening blijkt medisch en economisch gezien te leiden tot betere uitkomsten. Als onderdeel van een studie naar de haalbaarheid van implementatie van echografische screening in Nederland is onderzocht hoe ouders het verwijstraject beoordelen afhankelijk van de manier waarop zij naar de orthopaedisch chirurg zijn verwezen - rechtstreeks of via de huisarts - bij verdenking op heupdysplasie. Methode: Een vragenlijst is ontwikkeld om de ervaring van ouders die verwezen zijn te meten. In totaal is de vragenlijst gestuurd naar 355 ouders van kinderen die verwezen zijn tussen januari 2008 en november 2008. Resultaten: De respons op de vragenlijst was 46,5%. Ouders waren meer tevreden wanneer zij door de jeugdarts rechtstreeks waren verwezen dan wanneer dat via de huisarts plaatsvond. De tijd tussen de verwijzing en de eerste afspraak bij de orthopaedisch chirurg was korter als kinderen rechtstreeks werden verwezen. Tot slot waren ouders meer tevreden als zij het verwijstraject als niet stressvol ervoeren en als het traject soepel verliep. Conclusie: Gebaseerd op de perceptie van ouders, geeft dit onderzoek een eerste indicatie dat, met inachtneming van een aantal belangrijke randvoorwaarden, rechtstreeks verwijzen in het geval van heupdysplasie wenselijk is.

Prior research has shown ultrasound (US) screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in preventive child health care to be more effective than the current screening method. In the present study, 3-month-old infants were screened for DDH with US. The objective of this study was to examine parental satisfaction with the screening and determinants that affect satisfaction. Parental satisfaction was measured using a questionnaire. Independent variables included socio-demographic determinants, structure, process and outcome-related determinants and the meeting of expectations. Satisfaction with the screening was high. Parents who perceived the screener as competent, had enough time to ask questions, perceived the proceeding as fluent, perceived a low burden on their infant and whose expectations were met, were more likely to be satisfied. Satisfaction was influenced by process-related factors and not by factors related to the structure and the outcome of the screening. Good information provision before the screening and communication during the screening are means by which parental satisfaction can be influenced positively.

The use of ultrasound (US) screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an innovation in preventive child health care in the Netherlands. What is not known is whether parents will accept this screening method and will actually participate in it. It is widely known that health behaviors can be influenced by the framing of information. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of a gain- versus loss-framed brochure on parental participation in US screening for DDH. In total, 4150 parents of infants born between August 2007 and December 2008 received either a gain-framed or a loss-framed brochure. Parents could participate in the screening when their infant was 3 months old. The participation rate in the US screening was 74.3%. In contrast to the predictions of prospect theory, the results indicated that parents who had received the gain-framed message were more likely to participate in the screening compared to parents who had received the loss-framed message. This effect may be explained by the low risk perception of parents and by the possibility that the screening was perceived as a health-affirming behavior rather than an illness-detecting behavior. To increase participation rates, it is recommended that parents be informed about the positive aspects of partaking in screening for DDH.