1Ph.D. Nursing Scholar, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India / Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Saifai, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India
2Dean, Nursing, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Background: Early detection of developmental delays is a cornerstone of pediatric community health. The Denver Developmental Screening Test-II (DDST-II) remains a global standard, yet its psychometric performance in non-Western, rural, and tribal contexts is frequently questioned.
Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the DDST-II and identify systemic challenges in its field implementation.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Studies comparing DDST-II against gold-standard diagnostic tools (BSID-III, Mullen Scales) were included.
Results: The review found high sensitivity ($>85\%$) but significant variability in specificity ($25\%-65\%$), particularly in low-resource settings. Primary challenges included cultural bias and high "false-positive" rates.
Conclusion: While the DDST-II is a robust screening tool, it requires local adaptation and a two-tier screening approach to be effective in rural community health sectors.
Keywords: DDST-II (Denver Developmental Screening Test-II), Developmental Delay, Community Health Nursing, Diagnostic Accuracy, Pediatric Surveillance, Rural and Tribal Health, Sensitivity and Specificity, Child Development.
How to cite this article: Kumar P, Subashini SPS. "Diagnostic Accuracy and Implementation Challenges of the Denver Developmental Screening Test-II (DDST-II): A Systematic Review". Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(1s): 345-351. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.1.112
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None