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A Comparison of Autism Prevalence Trends in Denmark and Western Australia

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Abstract

Prevalence statistics for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) vary widely across geographical boundaries. Some variation can be explained by diagnostic methods, case ascertainment and age at diagnosis. This study compared prevalence statistics for two distinct geographical regions, Denmark and Western Australia, both of which have had population-based registers and consistent classification systems operating over the past decade. Overall ASD prevalence rates were higher in Denmark (68.5 per 10,000 children) compared with Western Australia (51.0 per 10,000 children), while the diagnosis of childhood autism was more prevalent in Western Australia (39.3 per 10,000 children) compared with Denmark (21.8 per 10,000 children). These differences are probably caused by local phenomena affecting case ascertainment but influence from biological or geographical factors may exist.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Autism Speaks, New York, USA (Grant #2561).

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Author notes

  1. Glenys Dixon

    Present address: School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

    Erik T. Parner

  2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Lillebaelt Hospital, Kolding, Denmark

    Poul Thorsen

  3. Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Glenys Dixon, Nicholas de Klerk, Helen Leonard, Natasha Nassar, Jenny Bourke, Carol Bower & Emma J. Glasson

  4. Kolling Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Natasha Nassar

  5. School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Emma J. Glasson

  6. School of Population Health, M431, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Emma J. Glasson

Authors
  1. Erik T. Parner
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  2. Poul Thorsen
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  3. Glenys Dixon
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  4. Nicholas de Klerk
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  5. Helen Leonard
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  6. Natasha Nassar
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  7. Jenny Bourke
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  8. Carol Bower
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  9. Emma J. Glasson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emma J. Glasson.

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Parner, E.T., Thorsen, P., Dixon, G. et al. A Comparison of Autism Prevalence Trends in Denmark and Western Australia. J Autism Dev Disord 41, 1601–1608 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1186-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1186-0

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