Browsing by Person "Murray, A."
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Item Gender ratio in a clinical population sample, age of diagnosis and duration of assessment in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder(SAGE Publishing, 2016-01-29) Rutherford, Marion; McKenzie, K.; Johnson, T.; Catchpole, C.; OHare, A.; McClure, I.; Forsyth, Kirsty; McCartney, Deborah; Murray, A.; Scottish GovernmentThis article reports on gender ratio, age of diagnosis and the duration of assessment procedures in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in a national study which included all types of clinical services for children and adults. Findings are reported from a retrospective case note analysis undertaken with a representative sample of 150 Scottish children and adults recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The study reports key findings that the gender ratio in this consecutively referred cohort is lower than anticipated in some age groups and reduces with increasing age. The gender ratio in children, together with the significant difference in the mean age of referral and diagnosis for girls compared to boys, adds evidence of delayed recognition of autism spectrum disorder in younger girls. There was no significant difference in duration of assessment for males and females suggesting that delays in diagnosis of females occur prior to referral for assessment. Implications for practice and research are considered.Item Implementation of a practice development model to reduce the wait for Autism Spectrum diagnosis in adults(SpringerNature, 2018-03-03) Rutherford, Marion; Forsyth, Kirsty; McKenzie, K.; McClure, Iain; Murray, A.; McCartney, Deborah; Irvine, Lindesay; O'Hare, AnneThis study examined waiting times for diagnostic assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in 11 adult services, prior to and following the implementation of a 12 month change program. Methods to support change are reported and a multi-level modelling approach determined the effect of the change program on overall wait times. Results were statistically significant (b = − 0.25, t(136) = − 2.88, p = 0.005). The average time individuals waited for diagnosis across all services reduced from 149.4 days prior to the change program and 119.5 days after it, with an average reduction of 29.9 days overall. This innovative intervention provides a promising framework for service improvement to reduce the wait for diagnostic assessment of ASD in adults across the range of spectrum presentations.