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University of Leicester leads first–ever study: Audit of adults with autism living in the community
The University of Leicester is leading a study looking at the number of adults in the community who have an autism spectrum disorder. The Government has pledged an additional £500,000 for the research and the study will be the first–ever Government strategy on adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Terry Brugha, Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Health Sciences is heading the study along with research experts including the National Centre for Social Research [NatCen], Research Autism and Professor Simon Baron–Cohen of the Autism Research Centre. It will report in 2009. Professor Brugha is director of research, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester and Honorary Consultant Adult General Psychiatrist, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. He operates an NHS assessment clinic for adults who may have Autism Spectrum Disorder and liaise with adult mental health services throughout Leicester and Leicestershire, also providing training to professional staff and teams. His area of research is psychiatric epidemiology in adulthood. He is also currently developing and testing methods for the prevention of depression. Professor Brugha said: “This will be the world’s first–ever study looking at the number of adults in the community who have an autism spectrum disorder.
“The cost of autism in Great Britain in children and adults has been estimated to run into many billions of pounds some of which may be due to unnecessary economic inactivity and also dependency on services that do not know how to recognise and support their needs appropriately." The prevalence study will make use of new data collected in 2007 by NatCen and Professor Brugha’s team to record the number of adults with Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism. There will also be an additional part to the study on the number of people with autism who have more complex needs and learning disabilities. The aim of the combined research will provide good epidemiological information in terms of prevalence and the characteristics and problems of this group. This work, including research into transitions, is being commissioned and funded jointly with the Department for Children, Schools and Families. An autism expert will be appointed within the Department of Health to take both studies forward. For more information visit the University of Leicester website: www.le.ac.uk. Infolink: National Autistic Society website: www.nas.org.uk. From your browser | Email the page | Email the page link | Print the page | Add page to favourites ········································································································································
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