Factors Affecting the Age at Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Nova Scotia, Canada

Autor/inn/en	Frenette, Priscilla; Dodds, Linda; MacPherson, Kathleen; Flowerdew, Gordon; Hennen, Brian; Bryson, Susan
Titel	Factors Affecting the Age at Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Nova Scotia, Canada
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 17 (2013) 2, S.184-195 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/1362361311413399
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Age; Age Differences; Intervention; Cohort Analysis; Young Children; Predictor Variables; Regression (Statistics); Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Clinical Diagnosis; Mothers; Canada; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Autismus; Alter; Lebensalter; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Kohortenanalyse; Frühe Kindheit; Prädiktor; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Mother; Mutter; Kanada
Abstract	While early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is essential for ensuring timely access to early intervention services, there is limited existing literature investigating factors that delay this diagnosis. This population-based cohort study explored the age at which children in Nova Scotia, Canada, are diagnosed with ASDs and the factors associated with this age. Children diagnosed with an ASD between January 1992 and December 2005 were identified from a cohort of live births in the province between 1990 and 2002. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted from population-based perinatal and administrative health databases and evaluated as predictors of age at ASD diagnosis. Of 122,759 live births, 884 cases of ASDs were identified during the study period. The median age at diagnosis within the cohort was 4.6 years. In adjusted linear regression analysis, a one year increase in maternal age at delivery was associated with a 0.06 decrease in age at ASD diagnosis ("p"?=?0.0007). Children who were residents of Halifax County received their diagnoses 0.52 years later than residents of other counties ("p" =?0.0054). A diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was associated with a 1.29-year increase in age at diagnosis ("p"?less than 0.0001). These results suggest that potential exists for improving early detection of ASDs in the province. Future research in this field has the potential to contribute to our understanding of the causal pathways linking the demographic and clinical variables we have identified and the age at diagnosis of ASDs. (Contains 4 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10