This study investigated effects of adding a new source of data from the Rural Paediatric Service to statistics about birth defects in Western Australian children. Results showed little change to overall prevalence of birth defects in rural residents and Aboriginal children, and the prevalence of birth defects for these groups continued to be less than is found in metropolitan and non-Aboriginal residents. However, many cases of FAS were identified from the Rural Paediatric Service records the had not been identified from other sources.
Authors: C Bower, D Silva, TR Henderson, A Ryan, E Rudy
Date: May 2000