Correlates of daily functioning in older adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Objectives: Studies of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have demonstrated poor outcomes related to independence and everyday living skills compared to the general population. In a sample of 74 adults with ASD who require a high level of support we sought to identify correlates of daily functioning.Methods: We administered questionnaires to residential staff and identified participants' independence level in basic and instrumental activities of daily living.Results: There was no association of age with daily functioning. Higher daily functioning was associated with a better general medical health rating. Functional independence was greater in participants with IQ range of 55 to 65 compared to those with IQ below 55. Language difficulties and behavioral disturbances were not significantly correlated with independence in daily living skills. In this sample, individual had held a median of three different types of jobs in supported employment.Conclusion: Daily functioning in adults with autism generally does not decline with age, but because this was cross-sectional data, this requires further confirmation. Community programs designed for adults with ASD who require a high level of support should focus on overall medical health and promotion of daily living skill building.

Recruitment to a physical activity intervention study in women at increased risk of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is being studied as a breast cancer prevention strategy. Women at risk of breast cancer report interest in lifestyle modification, but recruitment to randomized physical activity intervention studies is challenging. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of recruitment techniques used for a prospective, randomized pilot study of physical activity in women at risk of breast cancer. We evaluated differences in proportion of eligible patients, enrolled patients, and successful patients identified by each individual recruitment method. The Fisher-Freeman-Halton test (an extension of Fisher's exact test from 2 x 2 tables to general row by column tables) was used to compare the success of different recruitment strategies. RESULTS: We received 352 inquiries from women interested in participating, of whom 171 (54%) were eligible. Ninety-nine women completed a baseline activity evaluation, and 58 (34% of eligible; 16% of total inquiries) were randomized. Recruitment methods fell into three broad categories: media techniques, direct contact with potential participants, and contacts with health care providers. Recruitment strategies differed significantly in their ability to identify eligible women (p = 0.01), and women who subsequently enrolled in the study (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Recruitment techniques had varying success. Our data illustrate the challenges in recruiting to behavior modification studies, and provide useful information for tailoring future recruitment efforts for lifestyle intervention trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION NO(S): CDR0000393790, NCI-04-C-0276, NCI-NAVY-B05-001.

Aging and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Naturalistic, Longitudinal Study of the Comorbidities and Behavioral and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Adults with ASD.

Little is known about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in persons over age 50. In a retrospective, naturalistic review of 74 individuals aged 30 and older meeting DSM-5 criteria for ASD, the point prevalence of behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms (BNPS) declined significantly for 12 of 13 BNPS over a mean of 25 years while many other features of ASD remained stable. GI disorders (68.9%) and seizure disorders (23%) were common, and 25.7% of the sample had a BMI >30. Females were more likely to engage in screaming (p < 0.05) and oppositional behavior (p < 0.05). Current age did not have a significant effect on BNPS prevalence.