title: Autism screening and diagnosis in low resource settings: Challenges and opportunities to enhance research and services worldwide.
abstract: Most research into the epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of autism is based on studies in high income countries. Moreover, within high income countries, individuals of high socioeconomic status are disproportionately represented among participants in autism research. Corresponding disparities in access to autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment exist globally. One of the barriers perpetuating this imbalance is the high cost of proprietary tools for diagnosing autism and for delivering evidence-based therapies. Another barrier is the high cost of training of professionals and para-professionals to use the tools. Open-source and open access models provide a way to facilitate global collaboration and training. Using these models and technologies, the autism scientific community and clinicians worldwide should be able to work more effectively and efficiently than they have to date to address the global imbalance in autism knowledge and at the same time advance our understanding of autism and our ability to deliver cost-effective services to everyone in need.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Population Health Sciences and Pediatrics, and Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison 789 WARF, 610 Walnut Street Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Maureen S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1A1, Canada.
authors.forename: Mayada
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elsabbagh
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, College of Science, Health, and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Children's Health, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Eaton Road, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gladstone
authors.affiliation: MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (PO 80), King's College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Happe
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Health & Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.|Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, Addison House, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL.
authors.forename: Rosa A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Suite, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Li-Ching
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: PANAACEA (Programa Argentino para Niños, Adolescentes y Adultos con Condiciones del Espectro Autista), Repetto 1145, Buenos Aires, 1640, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alexia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rattazzi
authors.affiliation: Division of Autism and Related Disorders, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Director, Infant Toddler Clinical Research Operations Marcus Autism, Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stapel-Wax
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Washington, CHDD Box 357920, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, 100 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tager-Flusberg
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health 10 Center Dr. Rm 1C250, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thurm
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Wilcocks Building, Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.affiliation: Autism Speaks, 1 East 33rd Street, 4th Floor, New York.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003906:Developing Countries; D014943:Global Health; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D012106:Research
keywords: diagnosis; early detection; epidemiology; intervention