Abstract
In Lebanon, no estimate for autism prevalence exists. This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers in nurseries in Beirut and Mount-Lebanon. The final sample included 998 toddlers (16–48 months) from 177 nurseries. We sent parents the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) for screening, and a self-administered questionnaire (associated factors). We imputed missing M-CHAT data with successful answers. Since there were no follow-up interviews for the M-CHAT, we used the positive predictive value (0.058) from a large study for prevalence estimates. ASD prevalence was 1 in 66 children (comparable to US). Ratios were: male/female: 1.05; Beirut/Mount-Lebanon: 1.2. Using a more representative sample and ascertaining results are needed for better prevalence estimates in Lebanon.
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Supporting Grants are Program Projects in Biomedical Research (2013–2014) (amount: $80,000) and OpenMinds (private foundation/NGO) (amount: $125,360).
Author Contributions
MC contributed to conception and design, interpretation of data and write up; DS contributed to conception, design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data and write up; FM contributed to interpretation of the data and critical revision of the manuscript; RB contributed to conception and design, interpretation of data, and critical revision of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Chaaya, M., Saab, D., Maalouf, F.T. et al. Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Nurseries in Lebanon: A Cross Sectional Study. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 514–522 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2590-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2590-7