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Autism is characterized by a severely decreased ability to engage in communicati

ID: 3203269 • Letter: A

Question

Autism is characterized by a severely decreased ability to engage in communication and social interaction. In 1998 citizens in a New Jersey town were concerned about the number of children diagnosed with autism, and a study was undertaken to establish the prevalence in the community. The citizens were concerned about possible environmental factors that might be causing the autism, as well as establishing an appropriate level of educational and social services for the autistic children.

Data from this study are reported below:

Numbers of Children Diagnosed with Autistic Disorder

Age Category (y)

Diagnosed with Autistic Disorder

Number of Children in Population

3-5

19

3,479

6-10

17

5,417

a. Calculate the prevalence of autism for these children for each of the two age categories.

Convert the prevalence to a number per 1,000 children. (Your answer should be to the hundredths decimal place.)

Numbers of Children Diagnosed with Autistic Disorder

Age Category (y)

Diagnosed with Autistic Disorder

Number of Children in Population

3-5

19

3,479

6-10

17

5,417

Explanation / Answer

a. Prevalence for Age Category 3-5 = 19/3479 = 0.005461

Prevalnce per 1000 children = 5.46 children per 1000

b. Prevalence for Age Category 6-10 = 17/5417 = 0.003138

Prevalnce per 1000 children = 3.14 children per 1000