BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FOR POOR DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME OF YOUNG-CHILDREN

A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted to develop and fie ld test a state-wide screening method for identifying children at risk for developmental problems. Families of 2.5- to 3-year-old children w ere sampled from the Ohio birth certificate register. Standardized tel ephone interviews were conducted with 1, 601 parents concerning home e nvironment and demographic characteristics. Developmental delay, the o utcome variable, was defined by low scores on an abbreviated Developme ntal Profile II, which was also administered over the telephone. Obste tric history and health status of the newborns was obtained from birth certificates. By means of logistic regression analysis, we found six independent variables representing environmental and biological determ inants.