Objective: Overview of global trends in diagnostic criteria for and prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders, and a comparison between Croatia and other countries of the world, as well as an elaboration of possible reasons for the existing differences. Methods: Comparative (meta-) analysis of available scientific and professional literature, and application of the data from the Croatian Disabilities Registry. Results: According to the Report of the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, USA, (CDC), the prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) has been experiencing a continual increase, up to a rate of 6.6 per 1000 at present. Data on persons with PDDs in Croatia are registered in the Croatian Disabilities Registry. However, due to a short history (since 2002), the extent of this potential increase could not be determined. What could be established, though, is that PDD prevalence in the overall population is below 1/1000, while in child population approx. 1/1000. Conclusion: Countries of the world have shown a rising trend in PDD prevalence, which the authors justify to be due to more precise diagnostics and changes in diagnostic criteria. The cause of the difference in the registered PDD prevalences in Croatia and other countries could be explained by a phenomenon called diagnostic substitution occurring in cases when it is impossible to realize certain rights on the basis of given disease diagnosis. This phenomenon had been appearing in the USA before 1990 until which time PDDs, as a diagnosis, could not secure children the right to special education. After the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed in 1990, the prevalence of PDDs grew.
Key words: prevalence, diagnostic criteria, pervasive developmental disorders, Croatia
|
