{"id":6325,"date":"2026-10-19T09:48:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T09:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phd.hi.is\/doktorsvorn\/doktorsvorn-i-lydheilsuvisindum-sigridur-loa-jonsdottir\/"},"modified":"2026-10-19T09:48:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T09:48:46","slug":"doktorsvorn-i-lydheilsuvisindum-sigridur-loa-jonsdottir","status":"publish","type":"phd_defence","link":"https:\/\/phd.hi.is\/en\/doktorsvorn\/doktorsvorn-i-lydheilsuvisindum-sigridur-loa-jonsdottir\/","title":{"rendered":"Doktorsv\u00f6rn \u00ed l\u00fd\u00f0heilsuv\u00edsindum – Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a J\u00f3nsd\u00f3ttir"},"content":{"rendered":"
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F\u00f6studaginn 26. ma\u00ed 2023 ver Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a J\u00f3nsd\u00f3ttir doktorsritger\u00f0 s\u00edna \u00ed l\u00fd\u00f0heilsuv\u00edsindum vi\u00f0 L\u00e6knadeild H\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00cdslands. Ritger\u00f0in ber heiti\u00f0: A\u00f0 bera kennsl \u00e1 einhverfu snemma. Early detection of autism.<\/p>\n

Andm\u00e6lendur eru dr. Marko Kielinen, \u00fer\u00f3unarstj\u00f3ri vi\u00f0 Nuorten Ystavat (NGO) \u00ed Finnlandi, og dr. Gu\u00f0mundur \u00c1. Skarph\u00e9\u00f0insson, pr\u00f3fessor vi\u00f0 S\u00e1lfr\u00e6\u00f0ideild H\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00cdslands.<\/p>\n

Umsj\u00f3narkennari var Unnur Anna Valdimarsd\u00f3ttir, pr\u00f3fessor vi\u00f0 L\u00e6knadeild, og lei\u00f0beinandi var Evald E. S\u00e6mundsen, kl\u00edn\u00edskur pr\u00f3fessor vi\u00f0 L\u00e6knadeild. Me\u00f0lei\u00f0beinandi var Vilhj\u00e1lmur Rafnsson, pr\u00f3fessor emeritus vi\u00f0 L\u00e6knadeild. Auk \u00feeirra s\u00e1tu \u00ed doktorsnefnd Gy\u00f0a S. Haraldsd\u00f3ttir, fyrrverandi forst\u00f6\u00f0uma\u00f0ur \u00deroska- og heg\u00f0unarst\u00f6\u00f0var Heilsug\u00e6slunnar, og Tony Charman, pr\u00f3fessor vi\u00f0 King\u00b4s College \u00ed London.<\/p>\n

Dr. S\u00e6d\u00eds S\u00e6varsd\u00f3ttir, pr\u00f3fessor og varadeildarforseti L\u00e6knadeildar, stj\u00f3rnar ath\u00f6fninni sem fer fram \u00ed H\u00e1t\u00ed\u00f0asal H\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00cdslands og hefst kl. 13.00.<\/p>\n

\u00c1grip<\/strong><\/p>\n

Einhverfu er oftast h\u00e6gt a\u00f0 greina \u00e1 \u00f6\u00f0ru e\u00f0a \u00feri\u00f0ja aldurs\u00e1ri. Samt sem \u00e1\u00f0ur eru almennt ekki borin kennsl \u00e1 einhverfu fyrr en s\u00ed\u00f0ar. Meginmarkmi\u00f0 doktorsverkefnisins var a\u00f0 rannsaka hvernig h\u00e6gt er a\u00f0 finna einhverf b\u00f6rn snemma til a\u00f0 auka m\u00f6guleika \u00feeirra \u00e1 a\u00f0 nj\u00f3ta \u00fej\u00f3nustu sem getur haft \u00e1hrif \u00e1 \u00feroska \u00feeirra og l\u00edfsg\u00e6\u00f0i.<\/p>\n

Ritger\u00f0in byggir \u00e1 fj\u00f3rum v\u00edsindagreinum \u00fear sem ranns\u00f6ku\u00f0 voru einhverf b\u00f6rn h\u00e9r \u00e1 landi sem f\u00e6ddust \u00e1 \u00e1runum 1992 til 1995 og voru \u00e1 skr\u00e1 hj\u00e1 Greiningar- og r\u00e1\u00f0gjafarst\u00f6\u00f0 r\u00edkisins (GRR). Einnig voru ranns\u00f6ku\u00f0 b\u00f6rn sem voru skr\u00e1\u00f0 \u00ed sko\u00f0un vi\u00f0 30 m\u00e1na\u00f0a aldur \u00e1 heilsug\u00e6slust\u00f6\u00f0vum landsins fr\u00e1 mars 2016 til loka okt\u00f3ber 2017. B\u00f6rnunum var fylgt eftir til loka okt\u00f3ber 2019 \u00ed skr\u00e1 GRR til \u00feess a\u00f0 finna \u00feau sem h\u00f6f\u00f0u greinst einhverf. N\u00edu heilsug\u00e6slust\u00f6\u00f0var \u00e1 h\u00f6fu\u00f0borgarsv\u00e6\u00f0inu voru slembivaldar til \u00fe\u00e1ttt\u00f6ku \u00ed skimun fyrir einhverfu me\u00f0 Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R\/F). \u00a0Auk \u00feess var heilbrig\u00f0isstarfsf\u00f3lki \u00ed ung- og sm\u00e1barnavernd bo\u00f0i\u00f0 upp \u00e1 n\u00e1mskei\u00f0 um einhverfu. \u00c1tta heilsug\u00e6slust\u00f6\u00f0vum \u00e1 h\u00f6fu\u00f0borgarsv\u00e6\u00f0inu var skipa\u00f0 \u00ed samanbur\u00f0arh\u00f3p, en heilsug\u00e6slust\u00f6\u00f0var utan \u00feess sv\u00e6\u00f0is voru ekki me\u00f0 \u00ed slembuninni og var skipa\u00f0 \u00ed annan samanbur\u00f0arh\u00f3p.<\/p>\n

Helstu ni\u00f0urst\u00f6\u00f0ur s\u00fdndu a\u00f0 greining einhverfu eftir sex \u00e1ra aldur var algeng \u00ed \u00feeim fj\u00f3rum \u00e1rg\u00f6ngum sem sko\u00f0a\u00f0ir voru. Engu a\u00f0 s\u00ed\u00f0ur voru flestir foreldrar farnir a\u00f0 hafa \u00e1hyggjur af \u00feroska barnsins fyrir \u00feriggja \u00e1ra aldur \u00feess og t\u00f6ldu, eftir \u00e1 a\u00f0 hyggja, a\u00f0 einkenni einhverfu hef\u00f0u veri\u00f0 komin fram fyrir tveggja \u00e1ra aldur. Vi\u00f0 skimun 1586 barna fundust fleiri einhverf b\u00f6rn en vi\u00f0 venjubundi\u00f0 eftirlit me\u00f0 \u00feroska. S\u00e9rt\u00e6ki M-CHAT-R\/F var h\u00e1tt sem \u00fe\u00fd\u00f0ir a\u00f0 flest\u00f6ll b\u00f6rn sem skimu\u00f0ust neikv\u00e6\u00f0 voru ekki einhverf. N\u00e6mi t\u00e6kisins var hins vegar mi\u00f0lungs gott \u00feannig a\u00f0 \u00fea\u00f0 missti af r\u00edflega \u00feri\u00f0jungi \u00feeirra barna sem s\u00ed\u00f0ar greindust einhverf. B\u00f6rn sem fundust vi\u00f0 skimun voru a\u00f0 me\u00f0altali 10 m\u00e1nu\u00f0um yngri vi\u00f0 greiningu en b\u00f6rn sem skimunin missti af. N\u00e1mskei\u00f0 um einhverfu stu\u00f0la\u00f0i a\u00f0 mati starfsf\u00f3lks \u00ed ung- og sm\u00e1barnavernd a\u00f0 aukinni \u00feekkingu \u00feeirra og meira \u00f6ryggi til a\u00f0 bera kennsl \u00e1 einkenni sem g\u00e6tu bent til einhverfu. T\u00ed\u00f0ni einhverfu var h\u00e6rri \u00ed h\u00f3pnum \u00e1 h\u00f6fu\u00f0borgarsv\u00e6\u00f0inu \u00fear sem bo\u00f0i\u00f0 var upp \u00e1 skimun (2,13%) en \u00ed samanbur\u00f0arh\u00f3pnum \u00e1 h\u00f6fu\u00f0borgarsv\u00e6\u00f0inu (1,83%) og \u00ed samanbur\u00f0arh\u00f3pnum utan h\u00f6fu\u00f0borgarsv\u00e6\u00f0isins (1,02%). \u00de\u00f6rf er \u00e1 st\u00e6rri ranns\u00f3knum \u00e1 \u00feessu svi\u00f0i \u00fev\u00ed ekki er h\u00e6gt a\u00f0 \u00e1lykta me\u00f0 vissu \u00fat fr\u00e1 \u00feessari ranns\u00f3kn a\u00f0 skimun stu\u00f0li a\u00f0 \u00fev\u00ed a\u00f0 einhverfa finnist fyrr en ella.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n

Autism can most often be diagnosed in the second or third year of life. However, autism is generally not identified until later. The main objective of the doctoral thesis was to test surveillance procedures for early detection of autistic children to increase their opportunity to benefit from services that can improve development and quality of life.<\/p>\n

The thesis is based on four scientific papers including studies of autistic children in Iceland who were born between 1992 and 1995 and were registered at the State Diagnostic and Counseling Center (SDCC). Also, studies of children who were registered for well-child visits at the age of 30 months at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Iceland from March 2016 to the end of October 2017. The children were followed-up until the end of October 2019 in the SDCC registry to find those who had been diagnosed with autism. Nine PHCs in the capital area were randomly selected to participate in screening for autism with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R\/F). In addition, clinicians in well-child care were offered a course on autism. The remaining eight PHCs in the capital area were assigned to a control group, but PHCs outside that area were not included in the randomization and were assigned to another control group.<\/p>\n

The main findings showed that diagnosis of autism after the age of 6 was common in the four birth cohorts examined. Nevertheless, most parents had concerns about their child’s development before the age of 3 and, in hindsight, reported that symptoms of autism had been present before the age of 2. Screening of 1586 children identified more autistic children than the usual care. The specificity of M-CHAT-R\/F was high, meaning that most children who screened negative were not autistic. The sensitivity of the screener, however, was moderate, such that it missed over a third of the children later diagnosed as autistic. Children detected at screening were on average 10 months younger at diagnosis than children who were missed by the screening. Participation of well-child clinicians in the educational course contributed to increased knowledge and confidence in identifying behaviors indicating autism. The rate of autism was higher in the group invited to screening in the capital area (2.13%) than in the control group in that area (1.83%) and in the control group outside the capital area (1.02%). Similarly designed studies on a larger scale are needed since it cannot be firmly concluded from this study that the screening program detected autism more readily than did the usual care.<\/p>\n

Um doktorsefni\u00f0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a J\u00f3nsd\u00f3ttir er f\u00e6dd \u00e1ri\u00f0 1952. H\u00fan lauk st\u00fadentspr\u00f3fi vi\u00f0 Menntask\u00f3lann vi\u00f0 Hamrahl\u00ed\u00f0 \u00e1ri\u00f0 1972, BA-gr\u00e1\u00f0u \u00ed s\u00e1lfr\u00e6\u00f0i vi\u00f0 H\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00cdslands \u00e1ri\u00f0 1977 og cand. psych. gr\u00e1\u00f0u vi\u00f0 \u00c1r\u00f3sah\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00ed Danm\u00f6rku \u00feremur \u00e1rum s\u00ed\u00f0ar. Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a starfa\u00f0i sem s\u00e1lfr\u00e6\u00f0ingur \u00e1 K\u00f3pavogsh\u00e6li \u00ed tv\u00f6 \u00e1r a\u00f0 loknu n\u00e1mi og \u00ed framhaldinu sem forst\u00f6\u00f0uma\u00f0ur Heimila einhverfra \u00ed 12 \u00e1r. H\u00fan stunda\u00f0i framhaldsn\u00e1m \u00ed hagn\u00fdtri atferlisgreiningu vi\u00f0 Kaliforn\u00eduh\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00ed Los Angeles \u00e1 \u00e1runum 1993 og 1994 og f\u00e9kk s\u00e9rfr\u00e6\u00f0ivi\u00f0urkenningu \u00e1 svi\u00f0i f\u00f6tlunar 1995. Allt fr\u00e1 \u00e1rinu 1995 og s\u00ed\u00f0ustu \u00e1rin samhli\u00f0a doktorsn\u00e1minu, \u00a0hefur Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a starfa\u00f0 \u00e1 Greiningar- og r\u00e1\u00f0gjafarst\u00f6\u00f0 r\u00edkisins (n\u00fa R\u00e1\u00f0gjafar- og greiningarst\u00f6\u00f0). H\u00fan hefur jafnframt sinnt stundakennslu vi\u00f0 H\u00e1sk\u00f3la \u00cdslands og lei\u00f0s\u00f6gn vi\u00f0 lokaverkefni nema. Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur L\u00f3a hefur um \u00e1rabil teki\u00f0 \u00fe\u00e1tt \u00ed fj\u00f6l\u00fej\u00f3\u00f0legum ranns\u00f3knar- og \u00fer\u00f3unarverkefnum \u00e1 svi\u00f0i einhverfu. H\u00fan er gift Sigur\u00f0i Inga \u00c1sgeirssyni kvikmyndager\u00f0armanni og eiga \u00feau d\u00f3tturina Evu, sj\u00f3nvarps- og kvikmyndaleikstj\u00f3ra\/framlei\u00f0anda, og tv\u00f6 barnab\u00f6rn.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":5609,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_phd_date_start":"2023-05-26T13:00:00+00:00","_phd_date_end":"2023-05-26T16:00:00+00:00","_phd_location":"A\u00f0albygging H\u00e1t\u00ed\u00f0asalur","_phd_admission":"A\u00f0gangur \u00f3keypis","_phd_thesis_title":"A\u00f0 bera kennsl \u00e1 einhverfu snemma. 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