Study on the prevalence of Tourette syndrome in children and juveniles aged 7-16 years in Wenzhou area.
- Author:
Rong JIN
1
;
Rong-yuan ZHENG
;
Wen-wu HUANG
;
Hui-qin XU
;
Pei SHAO
;
Hong CHEN
;
You-lin ZOU
;
Hai-bo HUANG
;
Chang-lin ZOU
;
Zu-mu ZHOU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adolescent; Age Factors; Child; China; epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Prevalence; Sex Factors; Tourette Syndrome; diagnosis; epidemiology
- From: Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2004;25(2):131-133
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence and distribution of Tourette syndrome (TS).
METHODSNine thousand, seven hundred and forty-two children and juveniles aged 7 - 16 years in Wenzhou were studied, using cluster random sampling method.
RESULTSThe prevalence of TS among school-age children was estimated to be 0.43% (0.74% for males and 0.07% for females). The prevalence of male children and juveniles was higher than that of female children and juveniles (chi(2) = 25.09, P < 0.001, prevalence ratio = 10.95, prevalence ratio 95% CI: 3.38 - 35.46). The highest prevalence of TS was between 9 - 10 years old. The mean age at onset of TS was 7.7 +/- 2.7 years, with 45.2% of them among 6 - 7 year olds. The rate of delayed diagnosis and rates of misdiagnosis and misclassification of the syndromes were 78.6%, 42.9% and 23.8%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONTourette syndrome had been a common disease of children and juveniles in Wenzhou area. The disease was correlated with age and sex, often misdiagnosed and misclassified. Physicians and as well as general publics should be trained to identify the cases.
