title: Socioeconomic Disparities and Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Study of the impact of socioeconomic status on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and severe intellectual disabilities (ID) has yielded conflicting results. Recent European studies suggested that, unlike reports from the United States, low socioeconomic status is associated with an increased risk of ASD. For intellectual disabilities, the links with socioeconomic status vary according to the severity. We wished to clarify the links between socioeconomic status and the prevalence of ASD (with or without ID) and isolated severe ID.
  
  
  METHODS
  500 children with ASD and 245 children with severe ID (IQ <50) aged 8 years, born 1995 to 2004, were recruited from a French population-based registry. Inclusions were based on clinical diagnoses reported in medical records according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. Socioeconomic status was measured by indicators available at block census level which characterize the population of the child's area of residence. Measures of deprivation, employment, occupation, education, immigration and family structure were used. Prevalences were compared between groups of census units defined by the tertiles of socioeconomic level in the general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of ASD with associated ID was higher in areas with the highest level of deprivation and the highest percentage of unemployed adults, persons with no diploma, immigrants and single-parent families. No association was found when using occupational class. Regarding ASD without associated ID, a higher prevalence was found in areas with the highest percentage of immigrants. No association was found for other socioeconomic indicators. The prevalence of isolated severe ID was likely to be higher in the most disadvantaged groups defined by all indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of ASD with associated ID and of severe isolated ID is more likely to be higher in areas with the highest level of deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Registre des Handicaps de l'Enfant en Haute-Garonne, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.|INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Malika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delobel-Ayoub
authors.affiliation: Registre des Handicaps de l'Enfant en Haute-Garonne, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.|INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ehlinger
authors.affiliation: Registre des Handicaps de l'Enfant en Haute-Garonne, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.|INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klapouszczak
authors.affiliation: Service Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital La Grave, Toulouse, France.|Centre de Ressources Autisme Midi-Pyrénées, Hôpital La Grave, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maffre
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.|Service Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital La Grave, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Raynaud
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delpierre
authors.affiliation: Registre des Handicaps de l'Enfant en Haute-Garonne, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.|INSERM, U1027, Toulouse, France.|Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.|Département d'Epidémiologie Clinique, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnaud
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D020954:Single-Parent Family; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors