Original Article

You have free access to this content

An incidence study of diagnosed autism-spectrum disorders among immigrants to the Netherlands

  1. E. van der Ven1,2,*,
  2. F. Termorshuizen3,
  3. W. Laan3,
  4. E. J. Breetvelt4,
  5. J. van Os2,5,
  6. J. P. Selten1,2

Article first published online: 9 DEC 2012

DOI: 10.1111/acps.12054

Additional Information

How to Cite

van der Ven E, Termorshuizen F, Laan W, Breetvelt EJ, van Os J, Selten JP.An incidence study of diagnosed autism-spectrum disorders among immigrants to the Netherlands.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Rivierduinen Foundation, GGZ Leiden, Leiden

  2. 2

    Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht

  3. 3

    Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht

  4. 4

    Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands

  5. 5

    King's Health Partners, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK

* E. van der Ven, Jac. P. Thijsselaan 45, K1.19, 2803 RT Gouda, the Netherlands.
E-mail: e.vanderven@rivierduinen.nl

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 9 DEC 2012
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 1 NOV 2012

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (112K)

Keywords:

  • autism;
  • immigration;
  • epidemiology;
  • incidence

Objective

To estimate the risk of developing autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) in children born to immigrants as compared with children of Dutch-born parents.

Method

Retrospective, population-based cohort study of all live births (n = 106 953) between 1998 and 2007 in a circumscribed geographical region in the Netherlands. Cohort members were linked to the Psychiatric Case Register to identify diagnosed cases.

Results

A total of 518 cases of ASD were identified, including 150 children with autism and 368 children with Asperger syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Children born to migrants from developing countries were at significantly lower risk of ASD [rate ratio (RR) = 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5–0.9] than children of Dutch-born parents. Within the ASD group, the risk for the subgroup with Asperger syndrome and PDD-NOS was reduced (RR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.3–0.6), whereas that for narrowly defined autism was non-significantly increased (RR = 1.4, 95% CI 0.9–2.4). Migrant groups did not differ in age at diagnosis.

Conclusion

The results echo Swedish findings indicating a reversal of risk gradient in children of parents from developing countries, specifically a decreased risk for high-functioning and increased risk for low-functioning autism.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (112K)