Prevalence, trends in, and factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in low- and low-middle income countries (LLMICs): A systematic review and meta-analysis.
One in ten kids in poor nations has an NDD, and low maternal schooling plus poor prenatal care are major, fixable risks.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Anemut et al. (2026) pooled every paper they could find on kids with autism, ID, ADHD or developmental delay in low- and low-middle income countries. They pulled the numbers together to see how common these conditions are and what puts kids at risk.
They only used studies done inside the world's poorest nations. The final count gave one big average for all neurodevelopmental disorders.
What they found
About one in ten children in these countries has a neurodevelopmental disorder. Africa showed the highest rates.
Risk factors that stood out were low maternal schooling and poor care during pregnancy or birth. These are things programs can actually change.
How this fits with other research
García-Zambrano et al. (2026) counted autism cases through Colombia's health records and got 1.4 % in 4- to 14-year-olds. That single-country figure sits inside the 10 % overall NDD bucket found by Anemut, showing how one condition fits the wider picture.
Cao et al. (2023) saw the same education link in China: toddlers whose moms left school before ninth grade were 2.46 times more likely to have an autism diagnosis. Anemut's wider review now tells us this pattern holds across many poor nations, not just one.
Singh et al. (2024) add a timing angle from Malaysia. Kids there are diagnosed around age four, and the delay is longest in poorer families. Anemut's data explain why: low education and poor prenatal care pile on risk, so kids reach clinics later.
Why it matters
If you work in low-resource areas, screen early and teach moms. The review says boosting girls' education and basic prenatal visits could prevent a chunk of NDD cases. Use picture boards and short handouts; many parents never finished primary school. Track not just autism but co-occurring ID and ADHD so you catch the full 10 % who need help.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This review study aims to systematically examine the prevalence, trend, and associated factors of NDDs in LLMICs. A comprehensive search in nine databases and two search engines was performed. The pooled estimate of NDDs prevalence was 10 %. Subgroup analysis ranked 6 ID (6A00, 12 %), ADHD (6A05, 11 %), and ASD (6A02, 10 %) as the most prevalent NDDs. Prevalence was higher in Africa (14 %) and low-income countries (13 %) compared to Asia (7 %) and lower-middle-income countries (9 %). Key factors significantly associated with an increased likelihood of NDDs include diagnostic timing, child's and family's history of mental health problems, lack of breastfeeding, low maternal education, and low birth weight. Additionally, lower socioeconomic status (SES), male sex, advanced maternal age at childbirth, pregnancy complications, and preterm birth were significantly associated with increasing NDDs. In the multivariate meta-regression, only study quality scores showed a significant inverse association with NDDs. The finding implies the burden of NDDs in LLMICs, particularly in Africa, and underscore the need for interferences addressing at least modifiable factors (e.g., socioeconomic issues, maternal education, and perinatal care) to mitigate risk factors as well as prevalence rates).
Research in developmental disabilities, 2026 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105186