An earlier post mentioned questions about the distribution of autism research funds. Disability Scoop reports on another IACC/OARC study:
As autism prevalence rates skyrocketed over the last three decades, so too did the volume of research into the developmental disorder, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis.
There was a 12-fold increase in the number of scientific journal articles focused on autism in the last 30 years, according to a report released late last week by the global information firm Thomson Reuters.
The analysis is based on a review of journal articles indexed in the Thomson Reuters ScienceWire Publication Catalog between 1980 and 2010. It was produced in collaboration with the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, a federal advisory panel charged with identifying autism research priorities.
Most autism research conducted over the three decades focused on the biology of autism, risk factors for the disorder as well as treatments and interventions, the analysis found. There was a lesser emphasis on infrastructure and surveillance, studying lifespan issues and services research, though all areas saw an uptick in interest from scientists.Two figures from the report:
