title: Brief report: Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in the Sultanate of Oman.
abstract: Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in Oman is unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the prevalence of ASD among 0-14 year old children. Diagnoses were made as per DSM-IV-TR criteria and supplemented with information collected with the standard Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) questionnaire. A total 113 cases of ASD were enumerated nationwide, indicating an overall prevalence of 1.4 (95% CI 1.2, 1.7) cases per 10,000 children aged 0-14 years. More prevalent cases were among boys (75%) and among low-income families. Ritualistic interests were more common among girls as an onset-symptom compared to boys (p = 0.03). The reported low prevalence of ASD in Oman is likely due to under-diagnosis and under-reporting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Al-Khoudh, 123, Sultanate of Oman. ymfarsi@squ.edu.om
authors.forename: Yahya M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Al-Farsi
authors.forename: Marwan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al-Sharbati
authors.forename: Omar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Al-Farsi
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Shafaee
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Mostafa I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Waly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009850:Oman / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
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