Culture Shock

We hear a lot about the prevalence of autism, but here's a remarkable statistic you may not have heard: white children are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than are their Hispanic peers.You may think the simplest explanation is economics. And it's true that, compared with white families, Hispanic families are less likely to have health insurance and a regular doctor, and more likely to fall below the poverty line.But the autism disparity remains even when researchers account for those socioeconomic differences, according to a study out this month in the American Journal of Public Health.Read more at...SFARI, February 2010.