Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107331

Lilah M. Besser, MSPH¹, Adolfo Correa, MD, PhD², and C.J. Alverson, MS¹. (1) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-86, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-498-4445, lbesser@cdc.gov, (2) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-86, Atlanta, GA 30333

Background: Spina bifida (SB) is one of the most common birth defects among live births in the United States, but little is known about its prevalence among children and adolescents. This study estimated SB prevalence (without anencephaly) among children and adolescents in metropolitan Atlanta for the period of 1979-2002.

Methods: Prevalence was calculated by age, race, sex, and lesion site using Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program data for the numerator and U.S. Census data for the denominator. SB cases were divided into 5-year birth cohorts and were followed forward in time to determine who survived in subsequent time periods. Deaths were ascertained using case records, the National Death Index, and Georgia vital records.

Results: For each birth cohort, SB prevalence decreased with increasing age. Among <5 year olds, prevalence decreased from 5.46 per 10,000 in 1984 to 2.44 per 10,000 in 2002. SB was significantly more prevalent in whites than in blacks and among children with lumbosacral lesions versus cervicothoracic lesions. Compared with <5 year olds, prevalence was significantly greater among 10-14 year olds and 15-19 year olds in 2000 and significantly greater among 15-19 year olds in 2001.

Conclusions: This study provides the first SB prevalence estimates among children and adolescents in five metropolitan Atlanta counties. Although the results might not be generalizable to other US populations, the study methods can serve as a model to examine SB prevalence among children and adolescents in other regions.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant will be able to understand a method that can be used to derive spina bifida prevalence estimates among children and adolescents using birth defects registry data.

Keywords: Birth Defects, Child/Adolescent

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.