The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Mental retardation:
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A specific cause is identifiable in only about 25% of people who are mentally retarded, and, of these, only 10% have the potential for cure. (See Causes of mental retardation.) In the remaining 75%, predisposing factors, such as deficient prenatal or perinatal care, inadequate nutrition, poor social environment, and poor child-rearing practices, contribute significantly to mental retardation.
Prenatal screening for genetic defects (such as Tay-Sachs disease) and counseling for families at risk for specific defects have reduced the incidence of genetically transmitted mental retardation.
An estimated 1% to 3% of the population is mentally retarded, demonstrating an IQ below 70 and associated difficulty in carrying out tasks required for personal independence.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Mental retardation usually refers to the estimated population
of people who are managing Mental retardation at any given time.
The term 'incidence' of Mental retardation refers to the annual diagnosis rate,
or the number of new cases of Mental retardation diagnosed each year.
Hence, these two statistics types can differ:
a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence,
but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence.
For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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