PREVENTABLE FRACTION OF MENTAL-RETARDATION - ANALYSIS BASED ON INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE MENTAL-RETARDATION

Reduction in the prevalence of mental retardation has been identified as a national goal since 1971. President Nixon proposed the year 2000 as a benchmark, by which time the prevalence of severe mental retardat ion should be reduced by as much as 50%. An analysis to determine the fraction of severe mental retardation that could be prevented with str ategies currently available indicates that the goal will not be met. K nowledge of the causes oi: severe mental retardation is fundamental to developing prevention strategies. Increased diagnostic capability-cli nical and laboratory-must be dramatically increased if a 50% reduction in the prevalence of severe mental retardation is to be achieved in t he foreseeable future.