Change in scoliosis rate after preventive intervention in Khmer primary school students in some Mekong Delta provinces in 2021 - 2022

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the change in the rate of scoliosis in Khmer ethnic students at 04 primary schools in 03 provinces of Soc Trang, Hau Giang and An Giang when implementing a number of preventive intervention solutions. CVCS 2021 - 2022. Design community intervention research with a control group, using communication solutions, health education, and consulting; Supervise, remind and correct students’ sitting posture; Management and treatment advice for cases of CVCS detected; Improve desk and chair conditions and classroom lighting. The intervention period spanned from the 2020 - 2021 to the 2021 - 2022 academic years. All students from grades 1 to 4 were screened for scoliosis before and after the intervention. Results showed that, after two years, the intervention group had no new cases of scoliosis. The prevalence of structural scoliosis in the intervention group decreased by 0.4%, while non-structural scoliosis decreased by 7.8%, resulting in an overall reduction in scoliosis from 29.5% to 23.4% (p < 0.05). There was a difference with the group of students without intervention, the Difference-in-Differences index reached 8.5%. Multimodal preventive intervention solutions indirectly reduced the scoliosis rates among students. These solutions need to be maintained and expanded in the future.