Florida Tech's national survey shows about 25% of people believe in autism-vaccine link

From Tampa Bay's TV 10:

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans believes vaccines cause autism, even though no scientific evidence supports such a link, a new national survey suggests.

The survey -- commissioned by Florida Tech to measure the public's knowledge and understanding of autism -- found that 24 percent of respondents believe vaccines carry the blame for the wide range of developmental delays, known as autism spectrum disorders, and as a result, shy away from vaccinating their children.

Another 19 percent said they were unsure about vaccines' role.

Mary Beth Kunkel, dean of Florida Tech's College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, described the finding as a surprise given the number of federal studies exonerating the mercury preservative thimerosal, once used widely in children's vaccines, but
rarely, if ever, included in vaccines today.

On a positive note, however, Kunkel said, the survey found more than 80 percent of those polled recognized the importance of early childhood interventions, especially behavioral therapies, to maximizing autistic children's potential. Also, 83 percent said understanding the cause -- not now known -- and finding a cure for autism should be a national priority.

Results of the survey were released today to kick off Florida Tech's two-day second annual autism conference, "The Many Faces of Autism." The conference title reflects the fact that some children diagnosed with these disorders function at high levels, while others face severe learning impediments, unable to interpret social cues and prone to self-destructive behaviors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1 in 150 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism, making it the second most serious developmental disability, after mental retardation.

Kunkel said the school wanted a snapshot view of attitudes toward autism prior to completion of the Scott Center for Autism Treatment, now under construction. The $5 million project, which will serve children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in Central Florida, is expected to open in late 2009 on Babcock Street, south of the school's College of Business in Melbourne.

"We wanted to get a national read on where the country should go in terms of research and treatment," Kunkel said. "If it's not the first national survey, it's certainly the most current."

Conducted in August, the survey included telephone interviews with 1,000 randomly selected men and women across the country.

Among its other findings: About 4 in 10 respondents said they knew a person with autism, giving them a better understanding of these disorders. But a higher percentage in this group -- 21 percent compared with 17 percent -- linked the disorder to vaccines. Younger parents, between the ages of 19 and 28, were better informed about autism than older parents, but were more prone to concerns their children would be autistic. And 6 in 10 of those polled said the presidential candidates should include a plan for curing autism in their platforms.