Comparison of the demographic and diagnostic profile of new patients attending a neurodevelopmental clinic in 2008/2009 and 2016
| dc.contributor.author | Rasdien, U. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Springer, P. E. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-04-08T07:29:51Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-04-08T07:29:51Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-04 | |
| dc.description | CITATION: Rasdien, U. & Springer, P. E. 2019. Comparison of the demographic and diagnostic profile of new patients attending a neurodevelopmental clinic in 2008/2009 and 2016. South African Journal of Child Health, 13(1):6-10, doi:10.7196/SAJCH.2019.v13i1.1480. | |
| dc.description | The original publication is available at http://www.sajch.org.za | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background. Literature suggests an increasing prevalence of developmental disabilities, and specifically of conditions such as autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The resulting burden on paediatric neurodevelopmental services has not been described in the South African setting. Objective. To compare the demographic and diagnostic profile of new patients attending a neurodevelopmental service across two 12-month periods, after a change in referral pathway and the introduction of a secondary clinic. Methods. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional folder review of new patients seen in the neurodevelopmental service at Tygerberg Hospital in 2008/2009 and 2016. Results. The number of new patients increased from 84 in 2008/2009 to 240 in 2016. In both periods the majority of patients were male. The median (IQR) age decreased from 62 (31 - 92) months in 2008/2009 to 53 (37 - 67) months in 2016 (p=0.17). In 2008/2009 only one patient was from the Khayelitsha health subdistrict compared with 49 (20.4%) in 2016, following the subdistrict’s addition to the hospital’s drainage area in 2011. The number of patients referred by allied health professionals increased between the two periods (30.4% in 2016 v. 16.4% in 2008/2009). Cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increased notably: from 10 (8.4%) in 2008/2009 to 84 (35%) in 2016. Conclusion. The notable increase in neurodevelopmental referrals over the past 8 years cannot be fully explained by a regional population increase or a change in referral pathway. The number of ASD cases has increased disproportionately, with important implications for health and educational service planning. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Publisher's version | |
| dc.format.extent | 5 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Rasdien, U. & Springer, P. E. 2019. Comparison of the demographic and diagnostic profile of new patients attending a neurodevelopmental clinic in 2008/2009 and 2016. South African Journal of Child Health, 13(1):6-10, doi:10.7196/SAJCH.2019.v13i1.1480. | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1999-7671 (online) | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1994-3032 (print) | |
| dc.identifier.other | doi:10.7196/SAJCH.2019.v13i1.1480 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/107670 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Health & Medical Publishing Group | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Authors retain copyright | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Neurodevelopment | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Developmental disabilities -- Children | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Diagnosis -- Profile | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Demography | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Comparison of the demographic and diagnostic profile of new patients attending a neurodevelopmental clinic in 2008/2009 and 2016 | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Article | en_ZA |