Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Estimating the Burden of Disease for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Spain in 2003

  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are lifelong neurodevelopmental disabilities. Burden of Disease is an indicator that provides important information on health status and outcomes such as premature mortality and disability. In order to estimate the burden of disease of ASD in the Spanish population during 2003, we followed the procedures used in the WHO Global Burden of Disease Study. ASD generated 43,928 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) in Spain in 2003, from which 33,797 were attributable to Autistic Disorder and 10,131 were caused by Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. DALY could be a useful tool for health policy makers for setting health service priorities, allocating available resources effectively and providing a comparable measure of output for early intervention.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th ed (DSM-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaresi, W. J., Katusic, S. K., Colligan, R. C., Weaver, A. L., & Jacobsen, S. J. (2005). The incidence of autism in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1976–97. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 159, 37–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertrand, J., Mars, A., Boyle, C., Bove, F., Yeargin-Allsopp, M., & Decoufle, P. (2001) Prevalence of autism in a United States population: The Brick Township, New Jersey, investigation. Pediatrics, 108, 1155–1161.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bibby, P., Eikeseth, S., Martin, N. T., Mudford, O. C., & Reeves, D. (2001) Progress and outcomes for children with autism receiving parent-managed intensive interventions. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 22(6), 425–447.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2000). Prevalence of autism in Brick Township, New Jersey, 1998. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Community Report. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/rpttoc.htm.

  • Chakrabarti, S., & Fombonne, E. (2001): Pervasive developmental disorders in preschool children. Journal American Medical Association, 285, 3093–3099.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakrabarti, S., & Fombonne, E. (2005). Pervasive developmental disorders in preschool children: confirmation of high prevalence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(6), 1133–1141.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coale, A., & Guo, G. (1989). Revised regional model life tables at very low levels of mortality. Population Index, 55, 613–643.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, E. H. Jr. (1998). Genetics of autism. Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities. Research Reviews, 4, 113–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G., & Osterling, J. (1997). Early Intervention in autism. In: M. Guralnick (Ed.), The effectiveness of early intervention. (pp. 307–326). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eikeseth, S., Smith, T., Jahr, E., Eldevik, S. (2002) Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism: a 1-year comparison controlled study. Behavior Modification, 26(1), 49–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (1999). The epidemiology of autism: a review. Psychological Medicine, 29, 769–786.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (2005). Epidemiology of autistic disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(Suppl 10), 3–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gabriels, R. L., Hill, D. E., Pierce, R. A., & Rogers, S. J. (2001). Predictions of treatment outcomes in young children with autism: a retrospective study. Autism, 5(4), 407–429.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Genova-Maleras, R., Alvarez-Martín, E., & Morant-Ginestar, C. (2005). La carga de enfermedad en España en el año 2000. Las desigualdades de salud entre mujeres y hombres. XXV Conferencia Internacional de Población. Unión Internacional para el Estudio Científico de la población. Tours (Francia) 18–23 de julio de 2005. Available at: http://iussp2005.princeton.edu/abstractViewer.aspx?submissioneId = 52233.

  • GesMor (2003): Software developed by the International Health Department, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Supported by the Health Mexican Foundation (FUNSALUD) and the Interamerican Bank for Development. Available from: http://www.funsalud.org.mx/red-jlb/gesmor.htm.

  • Glasson, E. J. (2002). The Western Australia register for autism spectrum disorders. Journal of paediatrics and child health, 38(3), 321.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S. L., & Delmolino, L. (2002). Applied behavior analysis: Its application in the treatment of autism and related disorders in young children. Infants and Young Children, 14, 11–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S. L., & Handleman, J. S. (2000) Age and IQ at intake as predictors of placement for young children with autism: a four- to six-year follow-up. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 137–142.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hertz-Picciotto, I., Croen, L. A., Hansen, R., Jones, C. R., van de Water, J., Pessah, I. N. (2006) The CHARGE study: an epidemiologic investigation of genetic and environmental factors contributing to autism. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(7), 1119–1125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., & Asgharian, A. (1999). The diagnosis of autism and Asperger syndrome: Findings from a survey of 770 families. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 41, 834–839.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hurth, J., Shaw, E., Izeman, S. G., Whaley, K., & Rogers, S. J. (1999). Areas of agreement about effective practices among programs serving young children with autism spectrum disorders. Infants and Young Children, 12(2), 17–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) (2006). Cifras de Población. Revisión del Padrón Municipal 2003. Available from: http://www.ine.es/inebase/index.html.

  • Jick, H., Beach, K. J., & Kaye, J. A. (2006). Incidence of autism over time. Epidemiology, 17(1), 120–121.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murray, C. J. L., & Acharya, A. K. 1997, ‘Understanding DALYs (disability-adjusted life years)’, Journal of Health Economics, 16, 703–730.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray , C. J. L., & López, A. D. (Eds.). (1996). The Global Burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. Global Burden of Disease and Injury, Vol. 1. Harvard School of Public Health on behalf of WHO. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.

  • Murray, C. J. L., Salomon, J. A., & Mathers, C. (2000). A critical examination of summary measures of population health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 78, 981–994.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray, C. J. L., Salomon, J. A., Mathers, C. D., & Lopez, A. D. (2002). Summary measures of population health: concepts, ethics, measurement and applications. World Health Organization, Geneva, 2002.

  • National Autistic Society (2006). Estimated prevalence rates in the UK. Available at: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=108&a=3527.

  • Pickett, J. A., Paculdo, D. R., Shavelle, R. M., Strauss, D. J. (2006). 1998–2002 update on causes of death in autism [letter]. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(2), 287–288.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Posada-De la Paz, M., Ferrari-Arroyo, M. J., Touriño, E., & Boada, L. (2005). Investigación epidemiológica en el autismo: una visión integradora. Revista de Neurología, 40(Supl 1), S191–S198.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, J. E., Edwards, A., Edwards, M., Pandit, B. S., Sungum-Paliwal, S. R., & Whitehouse, W. (2000). Changes in the incidence of childhood autism and other autistic spectrum disorders in preschool children from two areas of the West Midlands, UK. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 42, 624–628.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, J. M. (2003). A review of the research to identify the most effective models of best practice in the management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Sydney: Centre for Developmental Disability Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (2005). Incidence of autism spectrum disorders: changes over time and their meaning. Acta Paediatrica, 94, 2–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salomon, J. A., & Murray, C. J. (2004). A multi-method approach to measuring health-state valuations. Health Economics, 13(3), 281–290.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sallows, G. O., & Graupner, T. D. (2005). Intensive behavioral treatment for children with autism: Four-year outcome and predictors. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 110(6), 417–438.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shavelle, R. M., Strauss, D. (1998) Comparative mortality of persons with autism in California, 1980–1996. Journal of Insurance Medicine, 30(4), 220–225.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shavelle, R. M., Strauss, D. J., & Pickett, J. (2001). Causes of death in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(6), 569–576.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shavelle, R. M., Strauss, D. J., Day, S. M. (2003) Comparative mortality of persons with mental retardation in California 1980–1999. Journal of Insurance Medicine, 35(1), 5–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T. (1999). Outcome of early intervention for children with autism. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6, 33–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stokstad, E. (2001). Development. New hints into the biological basis of autism. Science, 294, 34–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Victorian Burden of Disease Study (1999). Morbidity. Public Health Division. Victorian Government Department of Human Services. Melbourne, Victoria 1999. Available at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthstatus/bod/bod_vic.htm.

  • Victorian Burden of Disease Study (2005). Mortality and morbidity in 2001. Public Health Group. Victorian Government Department of Human Services. Melbourne, Victoria 2005. Available at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthstatus/bod/bod_vic.htm.

  • Volkmar, F. R. (1998). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K., Glasson, E. J., Wray, J., Tuck, M., Helmer, M., Bower, C. I., & Mellis, C. M. (2005). Incidence of autism spectrum disorders in children in two Australian states. Med J Aust, 182(3), 108–111.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wing, L., & Potter, D. (2002). The epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders: is the prevalence rising? Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 8, 151–161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO). (1993). International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th revision, ICD-10 (Vols 1–3). Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (2001). Global burden of disease estimates. GBD 2001 Estimates by Sub-Region. Available at: http://www.who.int/whosis/burden.

  • World Health Organization (2006). Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY). Available at: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/boddaly/en/index.html.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Elena Álvarez, from the International Health Department, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Consuelo Morant, from the Regional Mental Health Co-ordination Office, Madrid Autonomous Region, Spain and Ricard Gènova from the Institute of Public Health, Madrid Autonomous Region, Spain for their expert opinion on the burden of diseases subject. The study was financed by the RETICS programme at Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Grants n.G03/123. REpIER (Epidemiology Research Network for Rare Diseases) and C03/05. INERGEN (National Institute of Genetic Rare Diseases).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rare Diseases Research Institute, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Sinesio Delgado, 6, Madrid, 28029, Spain

    Elena Sánchez-Valle, Manuel Posada, Ana Villaverde-Hueso, Eva Touriño, María José Ferrari-Arroyo, Leticia Boada & María Concepción Martín-Arribas

  2. Department of Psycology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Ricardo Canal

  3. Policlínica Guipúzcoa, Gautena, San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain

    Joaquín Fuentes-Biggi

Authors
  1. Elena Sánchez-Valle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manuel Posada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ana Villaverde-Hueso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eva Touriño
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. María José Ferrari-Arroyo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Leticia Boada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. María Concepción Martín-Arribas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ricardo Canal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Joaquín Fuentes-Biggi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manuel Posada.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sánchez-Valle, E., Posada, M., Villaverde-Hueso, A. et al. Estimating the Burden of Disease for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Spain in 2003. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 288–296 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0393-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0393-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation