NEWS

Increase in autism diagnoses is subject of next Public Health Grand Rounds

CHAPEL HILL -- "Autism Among Us: Rising Concerns and the Public Health Response" will be the subject of the June 20 installment of Public Health Grand Rounds, a collaboration between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Public health experts representing the two institutions will lead the live, one-hour national satellite broadcast and webcast starting at 2 p.m. EDT. To register for a downlink site location, as well as for individual viewing, click on http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/. Registration for this program is free and available online exclusively.

Autism is a developmental disability for which diagnosis is often either missed or misdiagnosed. Symptoms are now typically recognized in early childhood, but in the past, diagnosis was often delayed until school age.

The program will explore the apparent increase in the cases of this disorder. Some health-care providers attribute the increase to a result of previous misclassification, while others attribute the increase to greater awareness of such disorders and recent funding opportunities for those diagnosed with the disease.

The recent rise in autism diagnosis has played a significant role in the decision to allocate CDC funds to state-level autism surveillance efforts and epidemiologic studies, said Dr. Jose Cordero, director of the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

"The studies that are now under way will hopefully shed light on the causes of this debilitating condition that affects thousands of children in the United States, as well as contribute toward the development of research-based treatments for ASDs (autism spectrum disorders)."

Miami, a community that has made great strides in fostering partnerships among public health professionals, researchers, local service agencies and educators, will serve as the program’s case study.

"The thing that makes Miami's experience especially useful for public health workers across the country is the close working relationship among the many partners in addressing this important public health priority," said Dr. Hugh Tilson, clinical professor of epidemiology and health policy in UNC’s School of Public Health and Grand Rounds program presenter.

"Particularly poignant and helpful are direct reports from all the partners, including a parent activist and an autistic adult health worker," Tilson added.

Community strategies for increasing autism awareness, the importance of early detection and community support will be discussed by the case study and discussion panel.

Moderating the panel will be Dr. Bill Roper, dean of the UNC School of Public Health. Roper and Tilson will be joined by Cordero and Dr. Craig Newschaffer, associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.

Public Health Grand Rounds is geared especially to those involved in public health, school systems, civic leadership, boards of health, community-based health organizations, academic institutions and federal agencies.

Viewers may submit questions to the panel at interactive satellite conference sites, by fax or online.

Previous Public Health Grand Rounds topics have included bioterrorism, asthma, genetics, breast cancer screening, disaster preparedness, West Nile virus, urban sprawl and food safety. Past installments may be viewed by clicking on http://www.publichealthgrandrounds.unc.edu/.

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N.C. Institute for Public Health contacts: Lisa Morris, (919) 843-9261 or lamorris@email.unc.edu; and Bev Holt, (919) 966-6274 or bev_holt@unc.edu
School of Public Health contact: Lisa Katz, (919) 966-7467 or lisa_katz@unc.edu