The Prevalence of Tourette Syndrome in Canada: A National Population-Based Study (P1.047)

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine: (1) the prevalence of TS in Canada, (2) the prevalence of TS by sex in youth (12-17) and adults, and (3) socioeconomic factors in the TS compared with the non-TS population. Background: Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics. Currently, there are no published Canadian studies on the prevalence of TS and prevalence in adulthood is not well established. Methods: Canadian data on TS prevalence were derived from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2010 and 2011 cycles. The CCHS is a Statistics Canada population-based cross-sectional survey that collects information related to health status, health care utilization, and health determinants for Canadians. Using these data, we determined the prevalence of TS in youth (age 12-17) and adults (>18), and examined sociodemographic factors associated with TS including age, gender, education, income, and birthplace. Results: 122,884 Canadians participated in the 2010 and 2011 surveys, with 122 participants diagnosed with TS. The prevalence of TS was higher in males in both youth - 0.60[percnt] (95[percnt] CI 0.3-0.9) in males vs. 0.05[percnt] (95[percnt] CI 0.01-0.09) in females, and adults - 0.09[percnt] (95[percnt] CI 0.05-0.1) in males vs. 0.04[percnt] (95[percnt] CI 0.01-0.07) in females. Compared to the non-TS population, individuals with TS were younger, more likely male, and more likely to be born in Canada. After controlling for age and sex, the TS population was less likely to receive post-secondary education, have a job, or have an income higher than the median population income (p<0.001). Conclusion: Data on the prevalence of TS in adults is scarce as most studies focus on children. Our data demonstrate a decreasing gender ratio in adults compared to children. The data also show that TS may have long-lasting effects into adulthood on education and income. Disclosure: Dr. Yang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hirsch has nothing to disclose. Dr. Martino has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jette has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pringsheim has nothing to disclose.