Sousamli, A.; Dragioti, E.; Metallinou, D.; Lykeridou, A.; Dourou, P.; Athanasiadou, C. R.; Anagnostopoulos, D.; Sarantaki, A. Unveiling Hidden Risks: Prenatal and Demographic Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder. Preprints2024, 2024081435. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1435.v1
APA Style
Sousamli, A., Dragioti, E., Metallinou, D., Lykeridou, A., Dourou, P., Athanasiadou, C. R., Anagnostopoulos, D., & Sarantaki, A. (2024). Unveiling Hidden Risks: Prenatal and Demographic Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1435.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Sousamli, A., Dimitrios Anagnostopoulos and Antigoni Sarantaki. 2024 "Unveiling Hidden Risks: Prenatal and Demographic Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202408.1435.v1
Abstract
This study investigates Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Greece, focusing on estimating prevalence and identifying regional disparities in children aged 4 to 7 years. Utilizing a quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory methodology, the research employed a structured questionnaire to gather extensive maternal and child health data. The sample consisted of 517 mothers of children diagnosed with ASD from all over Greece contributing to a nuanced understanding of ASD predictors. The study aims to elucidate the role of prenatal factors in the likelihood of an ASD diagnosis and their impact on the subsequent functionality of children with ASD. The study identified significant predictors of lower functionality in children with ASD, including higher maternal age, delayed ASD diagnosis, lower family income, and higher birth order. Prenatal health issues, such as vaginal bleeding and infections, also influenced functional outcomes. Notably, a family history of neurological or psychiatric conditions appeared protective. The regression model demonstrated robust predictive power, underscoring the complexity of genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors in ASD development. The findings advocate for early diagnosis and intervention, systematic screening, and addressing socioeconomic disparities to improve functional outcomes. The results support evidence-based service development and policy adjustments to enhance early identification, intervention, and rehabilitation for children with ASD. Establishing standardized case-recording procedures and an ASD register at national and regional levels is recommended for systematic monitoring and resource evaluation.
Keywords
autistic spectrum disorders; functioning; prenatal risk factors; maternal age; age of diagnosis; vaginal bleeding; prenatal infections; family income; birth order; family history
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
