USA awarded grant to study race-based disparities in autism care

Sara Garcia Shank, M.D.

Sara Garcia Shank, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician with USA Health Pediatrics and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, will serve as a co-primary investigator for an internal research grant with colleagues from the University of South Alabama. Jordan Albright, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at USA, will serve as primary investigator.

The group recently was awarded $9,908 in funding for its application to use a community-partnered approach to understanding and addressing race-based autism diagnostic disparities in Mobile for USA’s Social Justice Research Initiative.

“The focus of the project is examining racial health disparities in our local community regarding an autism diagnosis,” Shank said. “This will help us better understand why many of our patients have barriers to care.”

Other grant recipients from USA are Meredith Tittler, Ph.D., assistant professor in counseling and instructional sciences, and London Bowers, a graduate research assistant.

Research shows the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased dramatically in recent decades, with current rates reported at 1 in 54 U.S. children. While behavioral symptoms of ASD have been detected in children between 12 and 14 months of age, parents wait three years on average between when they first express concerns and when their child receives a diagnosis. The delay is often more pronounced with children from lower-income households, racial minority groups, and rural backgrounds, data shows.

Early identification and intervention for autistic children are critical to improving outcomes.

This grant, Shank said, will support the investigation of issues regarding social justice in the following areas: social stratification, health disparities, environmental justice, and racial equity. A qualitative study will focus on local racial and cultural barriers and the facilitators seeking an autism diagnosis in Mobile, with the goal of developing a toolkit for overcoming these barriers in partnership with the community.