Ongoing monitoring programs to better understand the prevalence of autism and other developmental disabilities and how this prevalence varies in the community are needed. Determining the prevalence of autism and other developmental disabilities in community-based studies involves a two-step process. The first is a screen of the population to identify children with possible autism. This can be done in a number of ways, ranging from examining the entire population in settings, such as schools or primary medical care settings to a review of records at sources where children with autism and other developmental disabilities may be diagnosed or receive services. The objective of this phase is to cast a wide enough net to include most, if not all children with autism, yet minimize the number of false positive cases for phase two. The second phase of the effort is to conduct a clinical review of available information on the possible case children by qualified clinicians to determine case eligibility. This may involve actual clinical examinations of children with specially developed instruments used to guide the diagnosis of autism or a review of medical and psychological information for each child using a standardized approach to applying the diagnosis of autism. Examples of the various approaches for each phase of the community-based prevalence study will be given, appropriate uses of the various approaches will be discussed and the methodologic shortcomings reviewed. Data from CDCs prevalence studies in Brick Township, NJ and in Atlanta, GA will be used to illustrate these points.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.