The aim of the present study was to identify the prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Kartal, which was a sub-province of Istanbul that could represent the overall demographic structure of Turkey that did not have a comprehensive scoliosis-screening program. The study included 60 schools with a mean age of 13. The scoliosis screening covered 7928 students. Screening was done based on the Adam’s forward bending test, measurements by a scoliometer, shoulder pelvic obliquity, height and weight as well as arm, leg and body length measurements. 451 of the students were diagnosed with scoliosis (5.68%). The prevalence rate for patients with a 7 to 16 degree-curve was 0.0156%, while the prevalence rate for patients with a curve higher than 10 degrees was found as 0.0065%. 88.4% of the scoliotic patients were girls. In 76% of the scoliotic students vertebral imbalance was on the left side. This study will shed light on the future studies, since it is the first comprehensive scoliosis screening conducted in the Republic of Turkey to cover all schools in the selected district.
Keywords: scoliosis, epidemiolgy, school screening