Journal Article

The Role of Demographics in the Age of Autism Diagnosis in Jerusalem

Schallamach, Chen, Koller, Judah, Begin, Michal, Shalev, Ronny, Gumpel, Thomas P.

2021

Overview

Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children enables earlier access to services and better ability to predict subsequent development. A vast body of literature consistently shows discrepancies in the age of diagnosis between children from varying socio-economic levels, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The present study examines the effect of sociodemographic factors on age of ASD diagnosis among the three primary ethnic sectors in Jerusalem region: secular and modern religious Jews, ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs. Findings indicate minimal differences in age of diagnosis prior to the age of six, although Arab children of this age were largely minimally verbal. After age six, no Arab children were referred for an evaluation.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Access to Education / Access to Health Care / Age / Age Differences / Arab people / Arabs / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis / Autism Spectrum Disorder - ethnology / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic children / Behavior Patterns / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Child / Child and School Psychology / Child, Preschool / Children / Clinical Diagnosis / Comparative Analysis / Cultural Background / Demographic aspects / Demography / Diagnosis / Discrepancies / Economic Status / Ethnic Groups / Ethnicity / Family (Sociological Unit) / Female / Foreign Countries / Health Services / Humans / Infant Care / Israel / Jewish people / Jews / Judaism / Male / Medical diagnosis / Minority Group Children / Neurosciences / Orthodox Jews / Pediatrics / Pervasive Developmental Disorders / Population Trends / Preschool Children / Psychological Patterns / Psychology / Public Health / Race / Religious Factors / Religious orthodoxy / S.I. : Early Detection In Autism Spectrum Disorder / Secularism / Sociodemographics / Socioeconomic factors / Socioeconomic Status / Verbal Ability / Young Children