Project on the Social Determinants of Autism

Organization

• Peter Bearman, Director

Overview

In the past decade there has been an exponential increase in the prevalence of autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) nationwide. In an effort to understand one of the most pressing population health problems of our time, Peter Bearman was recently awarded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's 2007 Pioneer Award to study the autism epidemic.

A host of studies using a variety of data sources have established a substantial list of factors that could potentially be associated with autism cases. To date, however, the literature remains largely inconclusive as no studies have comprehensively examined all of these factors simultaneously. Bearman's research aims to provide new insights into the incidence and increased prevalence of autism by examining the major factors potentially driving this epidemic.

Research Staff

• jimi adams, PhD
  Assistant Professor, School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University

• Peter Bearman, PhD
  Cole Professor of the Social Sciences, Director of the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Center

• Keely Cheslack-Postova, PhD
  Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar

• Diana Dakhlallah
  Research Staff Assistant

• Christine Fountain, PhD
  Postdoctoral Research Scholar

• Marissa King, PhD
  Postdoctoral Research Scholar

• Ka-Yuet Liu, PhD
  Postdoctoral Research Scholar

• Soumya Mazumdar, PhD
  Postdoctoral Research Scholar

• Julien Teitler, PhD
  Associate Professor, Social Work and Sociology

• Noam Zerubavel
  Research Analyst

See Also

• Research grant: The Social Determinants of Autism
• Press release: Peter Bearman Receives NIH Director's Pioneer Award to Study Autism Epidemic
• Press release: NIH Director Invests in Innovation, New Investigators
• Columbia news: Peter Bearman: Determining the Causes of the Rising Number of Autism Cases
• Forthcoming publication: King, Marissa, Diana Dakhlallah, Christine Fountain, and Peter S. Bearman. “Parental Age and the Increased Prevalence of Autism”. American Journal of Public Health.
• Forthcoming publication: King, Marissa and Peter Bearman. “Diagnostic Change and Increased Prevalence of Autism”. International Journal of Epidemiology.