School of Social Work, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia 20059, USA.
Soc Work Public Health. 2011;26(4):454-70. doi: 10.1080/19371918.2011.579499.
It is estimated that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect 1 in 500 live births per year. However, due to varying techniques for diagnosis and treatment, the disability remains the subject of debate. African Americans tend to suffer disproportionate rates of disability and disease when compared to other racial and ethnic groups due to access to preventative and curative care. However, evidence demonstrates that although rates of diagnosis for autism occur at the same rates in all racial groups, diagnosis in African American children occurs later than in White children. As a result, African American children may require longer and more intensive intervention. This article examines the etiology of autism, diagnosis, and treatment strategies and its impact on African American families. A case method approach is utilized to describe the impact of autism on an African American family. Implications for future research and professional practice and policy are discussed. Understanding autism is important as it relates to the human genome.
据估计，自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）每年影响每 500 名活产儿中的 1 名。然而，由于诊断和治疗技术的不同，这种残疾仍然存在争议。与其他种族和族裔群体相比，非裔美国人由于获得预防和治疗护理的机会有限，往往残疾和患病的比例不成比例。然而，有证据表明，尽管自闭症的诊断率在所有种族群体中相同，但非裔美国儿童的诊断时间晚于白人儿童。因此，非裔美国儿童可能需要更长时间和更密集的干预。本文探讨了自闭症的病因、诊断和治疗策略及其对非裔美国家庭的影响。采用案例法描述自闭症对非裔美国家庭的影响。讨论了对未来研究、专业实践和政策的影响。了解自闭症很重要，因为它与人类基因组有关。
