Period covered: Surveillance is conducted in two phases. The first phase involves review and abstraction of comprehensive evaluations that were completed by medical and educational service providers in the community.
In the second phase, experienced clinicians who systematically review all abstracted information determine ASD case status. Results: For , across all 11 sites, ASD prevalence was ASD prevalence varied by site, ranging from Interpretation: The prevalence of ASD varied considerably across sites and was higher than previous estimates since Although no overall difference in ASD prevalence between black and white children aged 8 years was observed, the disparities for black children persisted in early evaluation and diagnosis of ASD.
Hispanic children also continue to be identified as having ASD less frequently than white or black children. Public health action: These findings highlight the variability in the evaluation and detection of ASD across communities and between sociodemographic groups. Continued efforts are needed for early and equitable identification of ASD and timely enrollment in services.
